Dear SMART Members and Friends,
This week has been exceptionally demanding as we continue our marathon monitoring operation while managing additional marine animal responses.
Columbo Update: 41 Days and Counting!
Our beloved elephant seal has now spent 41 consecutive days at Victoria Bay, one of the Garden Route’s busiest beaches. Our volunteer teams have maintained daily monitoring from dawn to dusk, only packing up early on two particularly stormy days.
The visitor numbers are astounding – hundreds of people daily – keeping our volunteers constantly alert and ready for various challenges. We simply cannot express how extraordinary our volunteers have been throughout this extended operation. They’ve traveled considerable distances, demonstrated endless patience with the public, and sacrificed countless hours of personal time for the sake of one remarkable elephant seal. Every single volunteer deserves a gold medal!
Seal Response at Dwarswegstrand
On Thursday, July 10th, an emaciated yearling Cape Fur Seal was reported at Dwarswegstrand with a bite injury near the flippers. Despite rescue attempts, the animal eluded capture and returned to sea, only to strand again at Suiderkruis at sundown where it died during the night. The carcass has been collected and will be tested for rabies by the State Veterinarian.
Looking Ahead
We have tomorrow’s monitoring roster prepared for Columbo, but we’re holding onto hope that he’ll choose tonight to continue his journey. While we love him dearly, our dedicated volunteers desperately need a well-deserved break!
Previous Reports Summary
June 2-8, 2025
Columbo the elephant seal returned to Victoria Bay for his annual visit, requiring intensive volunteer monitoring. 14 SMART members worked shifts with overnight security support. Educational outreach continued with a visit to Mountain View School in George reaching 336 primary students.
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
