The City of Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA have expressed their outrage after ongoing public harassment of a seal resulted in the attack of a woman and the ultimate unnecessary death of the seal.
Also read: Storm surges cause over 50 seals to be washed up on Cape Town beach
Following days of repeated harassment by members of the public on Strand Beach in Cape Town, an adult seal eventually attacked and bit a visitor who walked into the seal on the beach late on Wednesday evening after not seeing the animal.
The woman was taken to a local hospital by paramedics, where her bite wound was treated.
According to the City, the adult seal displayed normal and expected seal behaviour as it tried to rest on the beach over the last few days.
‘However, the seal has had stones and rocks thrown at it, been prodded with sticks, had dogs attack it and many members of the public tease it so that they can take footage of the seal chasing them,’ said City’s MMC for Spatial Planning and Environment Eddie Andrews.
The beach was partially closed on Thursday morning to allow the SPCA wildlife unit and the City’s coastal management to safely capture and transport the seal to the Two Oceans Aquarium to get a health clearance for the animal’s release at a safe location away from people.
The seal died later from excessive stress before it could be released to a safe location.
‘This is sadly a very common outcome when seals are stressed through harassment or capture and is the main reason why the City, the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment and the SPCA do not capture and relocate seals as the mortality rate due to stress of capture is very high,’ said Andrews.
Andrews added that it is illegal to harass any coastal wildlife and urged residents and beachgoers to refrain from approaching seals on beaches and to leave these animals in peace should they come across them.
Also read:
Cape Flats fishermen still catching carp despite City health warning
Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook