The arrests follow complaints about tourists, including children, being encouraged to interact closely with Cape fur seals in exchange for paid photographs.
Two suspects have been arrested at Hout Bay Harbour in connection with the unlawful feeding and harassment of Cape fur seals, following a joint operation by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
The arrests were made earlier today, according to the SPCA, following ongoing complaints about activities that bring visitors, including children, into dangerously close contact with wild seals in exchange for money for photographs.
Close encounters pose risks to people and seals
The SPCA warned that feeding and handling seals can put both people and animals at risk, stressing that a seal accepting food or remaining near a person does not mean it is tame or safe to touch.
Repeated feeding can encourage seals to associate people with food and alter their responses to human contact. The SPCA said close encounters, particularly when visitors are encouraged to touch or sit on seals, increase the risk of injury.
Members of the public, including children, have reportedly been bitten during interactions at the harbour. The presence of rabies in Cape fur seals adds a further health risk, with anyone bitten or scratched urged to seek urgent medical attention.
The SPCA also said it had received complaints that some visitors were met with aggression or hostility when they declined to pay after having their photographs taken. However, these reports should not be interpreted as findings of guilt against the two suspects arrested.
Feeding and harassing seals are criminal offences
Cape fur seals are protected under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act and the Threatened or Protected Marine Species Regulations. According to the SPCA, feeding seals, physically interacting with them and harassing them are prohibited and constitute criminal offences.
Previous enforcement action at Hout Bay Harbour has resulted in convictions. On 13 May 2026, two men were convicted in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court for unlawfully feeding and exploiting Cape fur seals.
Each received a sentence of an R80,000 fine or 24 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that they were not convicted of a similar offence during that period.
The SPCA also warned that members of the public who feed, touch, sit on or pose closely beside seals could face enforcement action.
Visitors urged to keep their distance
The SPCA acknowledged that some people rely on tourism-related activities to earn a living, but stressed that livelihoods must be supported in ways that comply with the law, protect wildlife and keep people safe.
Visitors are encouraged to support local businesses and services that respect wildlife, rather than paying for close encounters with seals.
The public is urged to observe seals from a safe distance, give them space to move freely and decline encounters involving food, touching or close-up posing. Anyone concerned about such activities should report them to the SPCA or Law Enforcement rather than confronting those involved.
The SPCA and its enforcement partners said they would continue conducting spot checks and undercover operations at the harbour to gather evidence and take action where offences are detected.
The organisation reiterated that Cape fur seals should be allowed to remain wild, while visitors to the harbour should be able to enjoy the area safely.
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