Dear SMART Members and Friends,
This week tested all our volunteers as we called upon everyone to give their best for an extraordinary monitoring operation.
Columbo the Elephant Seal Returns!
Our beloved “tourist” Columbo made his grand return to Victoria Bay on Tuesday, June 3rd! For those tracking his visits:
- 2024 Timeline: April 22-23 (22 days), April 25 (1 day), June 28 (1 day), and August 5-8 in nearby Kaaimans River (3 days)
- Current Visit: Arrived Tuesday and has now spent 6 days at Victoria Bay, appearing larger, plumper, and in excellent health
Volunteer Mobilisation
Victoria Bay’s popularity with surfers, visitors, and international tourists required our full volunteer force. An incredible 14 SMART members worked in shifts to monitor Columbo around the clock. During nighttime hours, SCDF Security provided essential monitoring due to poaching concerns in the area – we’re extremely grateful for their assistance!
Columbo has thoroughly enjoyed the attention, returning to water on three nights before hauling out again for more peaceful slumbering under the admiring gaze of hundreds of visitors. As we departed Sunday evening with approaching rain, he remained contentedly resting, scratching, and seemingly smiling.
Educational Outreach Continues
Despite the intensive Columbo monitoring, our education team managed a visit to Mountain View School in George, where Des captivated 336 primary school students while Sharyn supervised our beloved mascot “Sammy the Turtle” (Val).
We face the new week hoping Columbo decides to continue his journey – while we’ve loved hosting him, our volunteers could use a well-deserved break!
Previous Reports Summary
May 5-11, 2025
A much-needed quiet week with no emergency responses, allowing time for educational outreach including a delightful visit to Babbelbekkies in Mossel Bay.
Previous Weekly Report: April 28 – May 4, 2025
Dear SMART Members and Friends,
What began as a quiet week ended with a flurry of activity on Sunday. Here’s our latest incident report:
Educational Meeting
- Sunday Morning: Several SMART members attended an informative session with Dr. Tess Gridley discussing rabies in seals, from historical occurrences to current situations along our coastline. The presentation provided valuable insights into this ongoing concern.
Marine Animal Responses
- Sunday Afternoon: Two incidents occurred in quick succession:
- A deceased green turtle was reported at Santos Beach. Michael responded promptly, documenting the large turtle with photos and measurements.
- Shortly after, SMART received a call about a stranded bottlenose dolphin calf at Herolds Bay. Carly and Val responded, discovering that members of the public had moved the animal into one of the tidal pools. Unfortunately, the dolphin calf died before their arrival. Basic data collection, sampling, and photo documentation were completed.
Community Support
- We extend our sincere gratitude to lifeguards Ryan, Alex, and Michael, as well as the George Fire Department, for their assistance with the dolphin calf incident and subsequent removal.
Photographic Documentation
- For images of Sunday’s response activities, please visit our Facebook page.
Recent Incident Summaries
April 14-20, 2025
- Good Friday Seal Incident: A distressed seal at Diaz Beach was repeatedly returned to water by well-meaning but uninformed beachgoers. The seal eventually stranded a third time showing neurological symptoms consistent with rabies. SMART responders, with assistance from Eden MB SPCA, successfully captured the animal, which was later euthanized and tested for rabies.
- Public Safety Response: Following this incident, SMART launched an educational campaign with social media posts and informational posters at strategic locations to warn Easter weekend visitors about the dangers of handling potentially rabid seals.
- Carcass Management: Incident Working Group Africa managed 6 seal carcasses that week.
March 31 – April 6, 2025
- Turtle Rescues: Two loggerhead hatchlings were rescued and transported to rehabilitation facilities via the “turtle taxi” network.
- Volunteer Support: A debriefing session was held for volunteers involved in the previous week’s beaked whale stranding, providing emotional support for newer members.
- Seal Response: A yearling seal in distress was successfully transported to Hartenbos Animal Hospital after being reported at Diaz.
- Carcass Management: 15 seal carcasses and one decomposed dolphin were managed by Incident Working Group Africa.
As we enter May, we thank our dedicated volunteers who remain on standby for marine animal emergencies. Enjoy the last days of autumn!
Until next week, 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.
Photo credits: Visit our Facebook page for images from recent responses
