From green turtle discoveries to seal rescues and our exciting Turtle Roadshow event, this week brought everything from bittersweet moments to heartwarming community collaboration. Read on for all the details from 9-15 February!
Tuesday, 10 February 🐢
Green Turtle Discovery at Nature on Sea
A decomposing green turtle washed up at Nature on Sea near Glentana. While it’s always sad to find a deceased turtle, these discoveries provide valuable scientific data. Val responded to the scene, took detailed photos, and collected a skin sample that will contribute to ongoing research.
We now have two green turtle samples ready to be handed over to Tracy from Two Oceans Aquarium when they visit Mossel Bay on Wednesday for their annual Turtle Roadshow.
🐢 TURTLE ROADSHOW EVENT! 🐢Join us at Delfinos at The Point to meet the Two Oceans Aquarium team! Chat about turtles, learn about the upcoming hatchling season, and discover everything turtle-related. SMART will be there with Sammy, our famous mascot. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to connect with marine conservation experts!
LuSeal’s River Retreat
Also on Tuesday, Hanli reported from Gouritz that our resident celebrity LuSeal has found herself a cozy new spot! She’s moved a little way up the river mouth and is still enjoying a leisurely chill session during her moult. Nothing says self-care quite like finding the perfect resting spot while you shed your old coat!
Friday, 13 February 🦭
The Curious Case of the Disappearing Seal
An adult seal was reported from Hartenbos, described as ‘lying with its mouth wide open’ on the rocks. Naturally, this raised some concern—was the seal in distress?
Annelize quickly headed down to assess the situation, but by the time she arrived, the seal was nowhere to be seen. Sometimes seals simply haul out to rest with their mouths open to thermoregulate (cool down), and this fellow had clearly finished his break and returned to the ocean. Mystery solved!
Saturday, 14 February 💙
Rescue of a ‘Laatlammetjie’ Black Pup
Saturday brought an urgent rescue! A ‘laatlammetjie’ (late-born) black seal pup was found by a concerned member of the public. The finder did the right thing by keeping the pup safe in a box until help arrived.
Our dedicated volunteer Jèlane stepped up and transported the little one to Hout Bay Animal Hospital (HAH) for assessment and care. The plan is to return this precious pup to Seal Island as soon as possible, where it belongs with its colony.
💙 Thank You! A huge shout-out to the caring member of the public who found the pup and to Jèlane for the swift transport. Community collaboration like this saves lives!
Till next week, be well! 🌊
From turtle science to seal rescues, every week reminds us why this work matters. Thank you for following along and for your continued support of marine conservation on our coast.