It’s common for South Africans to feel the need to share feel-good stories, particularly of animals, such as the one of the homeless man carrying an injured seal puppy in his arms from Glen Beach, which ended up at the Hout Bay Seal Rescue Centre (HBSRC).
A silver lining, perhaps, in a country known for its bad news, this one turned out to be a cautionary tale painting a bigger picture of loitering opportunists allegedly exploiting “pet” seals to invoke sympathy or hand-outs of money.
The story was covered on CapeTalk radio’s website, sharing what seemed like a heartwarming mission that first went viral in a video shared by handle @itstheveganwoolff on TikTok, known as the tale of “Charles and ‘Sammy’ the seal”.
In reaction to this, HBSRC posted a statement on Facebook dated 10 September saying Wousie (also known as Vusi/Woesie, and not Charles) was not the hero as was portrayed on social media.
“This juvenile [seal] seemed as if it had been stunned or beaten, therefore [immobilising] it into a tame state. To do what? Become a money earner? We have never seen a seal act this way before. “The hero, Wousie, was also abusive towards our staff, shouting ‘Don’t take my baby away’,” the post related. “It’s a wild mammal and no-one’s baby.”
HBSRC continued that due to dehydration and organ failure, the puppy seal had to be euthanised.
“We are seriously concerned that this opens doors for others with no financial income to abuse wild nature and also become a ‘hero’ and get money too.”
As quoted in CapeTalk’s article, the TikTokker Sonja Woolff related that when she saw Charles (better known by locals as Wousie/Vusi), he’d been carrying the seal in his arms since the night before in the hope of getting someone to assist.
“After many phone calls and no-one being able to assist, because it is outside their jurisdiction, we eventually were told that Hout Bay Seal Rescue was the best place to take Sammy the seal. Escorted by the police, we took Sammy to the centre, where Amos [Lapenga] was waiting for us and took Sammy into his care,” Woolff is quoted saying.
HBSRC’s Facebook post prompted debates from locals arguing whether Wousie/Vusi was exploiting the pup, or was genuinely attempting to help the animal.
“In all the years that Vusi has brought me birds in need of help, he has never asked for money, and I have never offered any. On one occasion, he found a seagull with a broken wing on a beach in Milnerton. He found a box for it, gave it bread and water, and walked back to Camps Bay carrying it,” one woman, who claims to have interacted with the man in question, commented on the HBSRC’s Facebook post.
However, the HBSRC still does not condone the actions of this man, the centre’s Operational Director Kim Krynauw told People’s Post.
“I cannot speak to this man’s intentions. But I do know that he handled an animal without the correct permits to do so. What I also know is that seals are being sold to Sangomas on the black market for roughly R3 000 per seal and being used for muti,” Krynauw explained.
Seals are a protected species, she added, and “should never ever be handled by people who are not permitted to do so. Never pour them with water or try to drag them out back to sea. Rather contact us, or even the SPCA Wildlife Unit.”
Another person’s comment critiqued the centre’s characterisation of people such as Wousie/Vusi who seem to show care toward animals, alluding that it would be wise for the centre to rather educate them. “That is a fair comment, and I would welcome him, and anyone else for that matter, to come to the centre where we can share vital facts and ways to report emergency cases about these protected species,” Krynauw concluded.
Contact HBSRC on 072 988 5193 and its personnel will come and assess the seal and the situation.
When facing a seal in distress, remember to:
- Maintain your distance – do not try to touch or pick up the seal.
- Send a photo and your location to Hout Bay Seal Rescue on 072 988 5193.
- Keep people and animals away from the seal.
