Dear SMART Members and Friends,
This past week was relatively quiet until Good Friday, when we faced a concerning situation involving a distressed seal and public interference. Here’s our full incident report:
Seal Rescue & Public Safety Concern
- Good Friday: A challenging situation unfolded at Diaz Beach with multiple calls regarding the same seal:
- At 6:45 AM, we received a report about a seal that a beachgoer had “dragged” back into the water
- Approximately 30 minutes later, another caller reported the same seal had returned to shore but was again put back in the water by members of the public
- At 10:30 AM, the seal stranded for a third time
- SMART responders Riana, Michael, Elzan, Jèlane, and Mike arrived to find a well-fed sub-adult seal showing serious distress and neurological symptoms
- Following Dr. Hofmeyr’s advice and with valuable assistance from Eden MB SPCA, the team successfully captured the seal using a hoop net
- The animal was transported to Hartenbos Animal Hospital where it was humanely euthanized and will be tested for rabies
Public Education Response
- We’ve posted warnings across numerous social media groups about the dangers of handling potentially rabid seals
- Our team managed to contact one of the individuals who attempted to help the seal and explained the associated risks
- Due to the Easter weekend influx of visitors, we’ve placed informational posters in strategic locations including campsite facilities and shopping centers
- We’re working to engage local authorities and media outlets to further increase public awareness about proper marine animal stranding protocols
Carcass Management
- Incident Working Group Africa (IWGA) managed 6 seal carcasses this week
- We’re hopeful that next week will continue to be relatively quiet
Until next Sunday, The SMART Team
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Never approach, touch, or attempt to return stranded marine animals to the water. Always call SMART responders and keep a safe distance while waiting for trained personnel to arrive.
