A seal that for months visited Strand Beach and earned the affection of the community tragically died due stress as a result of public harassment, last Thursday (19 October).
According to the City of Cape Town, after days of repeated harassment by members of the public on Strand Beach, an adult seal eventually attacked and bit a visitor who walked into the seal on the beach late on Wednesday evening (18 October), after not seeing the animal.
“After the attack the woman was taken to hospital by paramedics where her bite wound was treated. The City was in contact with the victim again when she was back at the hospital having her wound cleaned and she remains in high spirits.
“The City will remain in contact with her over the next week to ensure she is fine and recovers fully,” reads the statement, which explained that over a few days this seal was simply trying to rest on the beach, which is normal and expected seal behaviour on the coastline.
“However the seal had to endure stones and rocks thrown at it, being prodded with sticks, with dogs attacking it and many members of the public teasing it so that they could take footage of the seal chasing them.
“I would like to advise all beach goers that it is illegal to harass any coastal wildlife and the responsibility rests with the public to keep their distance,” said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee member for Spatial Planning and the Environment, Eddie Andrews.
He added that on Thursday morning the City’s coastal management and law-enforcement teams closed a portion of the beach so the SPCA Wildlife Unit with the help of coastal management, and with permission of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), could safely capture and remove the seal. It was transported by the SPCA to the Two Oceans Aquarium for assessment by its wildlife veterinarian to get a health clearance for release at a safe location away from people, but sadly the seal died from the excessive stress.
“We ask that all residents and beach goers in Cape Town leave these animals in peace should they come across them,” said Andrews.
“This is sadly a very common outcome when seals are stressed through harassment or capture, and is the main reason the DFFE, City and SPCA do not capture and relocate seals as the mortality rate due to stress of capture is very high.”
Lisa Starr of Helderberg Ocean Awareness said the agency was devastated over the seal’s death, and hundreds of residents have expressed not only their sympathy towards the animal, but also anger at the harassment. Many in the community had seen him regularly and were active in keeping him safe, others would attain a form of healing from admiring him, and all were in agreement that “Freddy” suffered an injustice.
“Please be conscious of your surroundings on the beach and never approach a resting seal,” urged Starr.
“If you want to take a photo then use your zoom from 20 to 15 metres away. Never chase a seal back into the water; they want to rest. They don’t want water poured on them either. Please see a seal as a wild animal.”
