The week started quietly and picked up speed towards the weekend: a restless seal monitored between Glentana and Great Brak, a deceased seal at Tergniet, International Beach Clean-up Day at the Point, and two further haul-outs, including one harassed by teenagers in full view of the public.
Restless Seal, Glentana and Great Brak
📍 Location: Glentana; Great Brak 📅 Date: Thursday 17 to Friday 18 September 👤 Responder: Val
- Val responded to a seal at Glentana and monitored it during the afternoon. It was restless and kept returning to the very rough surf.
- Presumably the same plump seal hauled out at Great Brak the next day, then disappeared and came out at sunset at Glentana again.
🦭 Status: Restless but mobile, moving between two sites. No intervention required.
Deceased Seal, Tergniet
📍 Location: Tergniet 📅 Date: Saturday 19 September
- A photo was sent showing a plump deceased seal at Tergniet. Unfortunately, rabies testing is only done if there has been close interaction between seals, dogs or humans.
- Ideally this animal should have been tested, but we do not live in an ideal world. We did ask the removal crew to take extra precautions when burying this animal, which was done the same day.
🐾 Status: Not tested, criteria not met. Buried with extra precautions the same day.
International Beach Clean-up Day, the Point
📍 Location: The Point 📅 Date: Saturday 19 September 👤 Partner: Great Brak Conservancy
- We participated in International Beach Clean-up Day, under the umbrella of Great Brak Conservancy. We filled 4 bags of litter at the Point, and everything picked up was recorded on data lists.
- Besides glass, cigarette butts and plastic, we also collected lots of fishing line, 4 condoms, part of a cycling helmet, the handle of a golf putter and a piece of asbestos.
- Kudos to the Smarties who participated!
♻️ Status: 4 bags of litter collected and logged. Thank you to everyone who took part.
Sub-Antarctic Fur Seal Harassed, the Point
📍 Location: The Point 📅 Date: Sunday 20 September 👤 Responders: Ursula, Marelise, Louis
- A beautiful adult male sub-antarctic fur seal hauled out at the Point. Ursula and Marelise monitored him until after 16:00.
- Shortly after they left, two teenage boys started pelting it with stones! Louis immediately went down and spoke to them.
- Our pet peeve: members of the public who have more bravado than brains.
🦭 Status: Harassment stopped on site. Seal left undisturbed afterwards.
Cape Fur Seal, Die Bakke
📍 Location: Die Bakke 📅 Date: Sunday 20 September (today)
- Also late afternoon today, another adult CFS hauled out at Die Bakke. The mist has come in and people are heading home, so we will check tomorrow whether it is still there.
🦭 Status: Hauled out at dusk. Follow-up check planned for Monday.
Till next week, be blessed and keep well. 🐾