Dear SMART friends,
Compared to last week’s intense events, this week was a little lighter—thankfully! But our oceans still kept us on our toes with hatchling rescues, emotional reflections, and a few late-night missions. Here’s the latest:
🐢 Tuesday, 1 April – Turtle Taxi on Duty
The loggerhead hatchling rescued on 31 March officially began its journey to safety! It was handed over to our amazing Turtle Taxi brigade for transport to the Two Oceans Aquarium. A big thank you to everyone involved in giving this tiny survivor a second chance!
💬 Wednesday, 2 April – Debriefing for Whale Stranding Volunteers
We held an important debriefing session for our volunteers who helped with last week’s heartbreaking beaked whale stranding. Many of them were relatively new to SMART and had never experienced large animal stranding or euthanasia before. It was a meaningful space to share, reflect, and support one another. Thank you to all who participated—we’re proud of how our community holds each other up.
🐢 Saturday, 5 April – Another Hatchling Rescued Offshore
A second live loggerhead hatchling was spotted floating offshore by Justin aboard the Salt Life Fishing vessel. It was brought to Dr. de Graaff, stabilized overnight, and then handed over at 9:00 this morning by Jèlane to one of Tracy’s stellar Turtle Taxi couriers. Off to Cape Town it went—safe and sound.
🦭 Saturday, 5 April – Ailing Seal at Diaz
At 17:30, we got a call about a sick yearling seal on Diaz Beach. Responders Sarie, her husband Frans, daughter Leandri, and Michael located and rescued it – after dark, no less! It was transported to Hartenbos Animal Hospital for care. A quick reminder: when SMART volunteers respond at night, it’s essential to bring helpers, especially for safety (and often, yes, the husbands!).
⚠️ Beach Carcass Update
Craig from Incident Working Group Africa was busy this week, managing 15 seal carcasses along our coastline and one severely decomposed dolphin at Vleesbaai. With the ongoing easterly winds, we’re likely to see more strandings in the coming days. Please report any sightings!
Thank you to each and every volunteer, partner, and supporter for being part of the SMART mission. Whether it’s late-night rescues, emotional support, or simply being on the lookout – you make it all possible.
Until next Sunday,
The SMART Team
Helping one animal may not change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal. 💙
