A second leopard seal visited our Cape Town waters this winter. The ocean critter was spotted at Kommetjie, upon the shores of Long Beach over the weekend, sporting a rare sighting.
Second Antarctic #LeopardSeal visiting the Cape in a few weeks. Glad to have had the chance to help do a health check and tag this young lady too! ? https://t.co/jL2lZJyNNt
— Two Oceans Aquarium (@2OceansAquarium) August 13, 2021
However, the leopard seal has sadly passed away.
After being discovered, the ocean baby was placed in a cordoned-off area, and minders from Shark Spotters were put in place as observers and protectors.
A post mortem is still underway, but as the Two Oceans Aquarium notes, they can only speculate the cause at this point.
A combination of factors may be the reasoning, including exhaustion (as the journey was far from the leopard seal’s home in Antarctic waters) as well as hunger and potential stress from onlookers observing her.
Leopard seals find land creatures such as ourselves foreign, and the public was urged to stay away.
Picture: Anton Crone/ Getaway