A sub-adult male southern elephant seal led a multi-agency rescue operation yesterday (Tuesday 27 May) after the colossal marine mammal ventured far from the coast, finding itself in a residential area of Gordon’s Bay.
The unusual inland excursion for the typically subantarctic species prompted a nine-hour coordinated effort to safely return the seal to the sea.
The alarm was raised at 06:20, with the Cape of Good Hope SPCA arriving by 07:00 to assess the bizarre situation. “Wild animals don’t always follow the script, and this seal’s unexpected journey into a residential area created real cause for concern,” stated Belinda Abraham, spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. “With so many moving parts — traffic, onlookers, and a massive marine mammal in distress — it took rapid coordination and clear focus to keep everyone safe.”
Numerous organizations, including Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, SAPS, City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management and Marine Unit, SANParks, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), collaborated to secure the area, redirect traffic, and ultimately ensure the seal’s well-being. The SPCA continuously monitored the seal, which was sedated by a wildlife veterinarian before being carefully loaded into a large game capture trailer.
By late afternoon, the seal, deemed unharmed by the veterinarian, was successfully transported to Kogel Bay, where its recovery from sedation was observed before being released into a more suitable coastal environment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.