Dear SMART Members and Friends,
Pup season has arrived with a bang! This has been one of our most demanding weeks as SMART volunteers worked tirelessly to rescue stranded seal pups throughout the area.
Pup Season in Full Swing
Our volunteers have been kept exceptionally busy this week, shuttling between beaches and Hartenbos Animal Hospital (HAH) as stranded pups continued to wash ashore. After assessment by Dr. de Graaff and his colleagues, our priority is returning healthy pups to Seal Island as quickly as possible.
This Week’s Numbers:
- 11 pups documented at HAH
- 1 pup had to be euthanized due to severe bite injuries
- 1 pup restranded hours after release and was returned to HAH to regain strength
- Most strandings occurred at Dias and Bayview beaches
Complex Rescue Logistics
The logistics of returning pups to Seal Island are challenging, and we depend heavily on the goodwill of partner organizations conducting research, tourist cruises, and fishing charters near the island.
This week’s transportation heroes:
- Enrico Gennari (Oceans Research) made 3 trips to Seal Island to return bleating pups
- Aquacat (Romanza Boat Trips) assisted with pup transportation
- Sr. Stefanie de Graaff marked all pups before release for monitoring purposes
Growing Concern: Near-Drowning Pups
We’re increasingly concerned about the large number of pups found floating in the water between the island and shore. Enrico spent almost two hours in the vicinity of Seal Island picking up struggling pups and relocating them closer to the island for release.
We’ll be meeting tomorrow with relevant parties to establish protocol for handling multiple pups found near-drowning in the sea.
Dramatic Net Entanglement Rescue
On Friday, November 22nd, while managing the influx of stranded pups, we received an urgent call from Hanlie and Nicky at Gourits. They were monitoring a seriously entangled yearling seal caught in fishing net. Michael immediately headed down the coast and, by great fortune, found the seal still ashore. He successfully freed the animal, which had managed to get its head through five loops of the fishing net!
Volunteer Recognition
Our volunteers have been absolutely superb this week, responding to multiple calls daily and handling the physical and emotional demands of pup season. Special thanks to:
- Ursula, Michael, Elzan, Tersia, Annelize, Jèlane, and Maruschka
- Bianca who handled her first rescue pup!
- Members of the public who reported stranded pups
Stay strong, Smarties, and THANK YOU!
For photos of this week’s activities and the community members who reported pups, please visit our Facebook page.
Support S.M.A.R.T. through the Woolworths App
Woolworths no longer issues physical cards or forms – everything is now done conveniently on your phone. Please follow these easy steps to support Stranded Marine Animals Rescue Team:
- Download the Woolworths App
- Register if you don’t have a card, or log in if you already do
- At the bottom of the screen, select “Loyalty”
- Then choose “Join myDifference” (this is the new name for the Causes programme)
- Tap “Get Started” and follow the prompts (you’ll enter your ID, personal details, accept the T&Cs, and finish setup)
- Then select “Explore Loyalty Hub” – you should now see your card number and barcode (this is what you scan at Woolworths)
- Go to Causes, then select “Choose my own”
- Under Environment, scroll until you find Stranded Marine Animals Rescue Team, then tap Add
Your support makes a difference every time you shop at Woolies! Thank you for helping us save our precious marine wildlife.
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.
