MOSSEL BAY NEWS - An extremely rare visitor was hauled out to a farm in the Garden Route District on 15 July: a male elephant seal.
The Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (Smart) posted about the visit on its Facebook page on 20 July, stating that the location of the farm would not be disclosed.
Smart said the elephant seal is estimated to be about eight years old and weighs close to a tonne.
"Elephant seals are the largest of all seals, with males reaching up to six metres and diving for hours at a time," said the post.
Marine mammal specialist Dr Greg Hofmeyr of Bayworld in Gqeberha arrived on 21 July to tag the seal, while Sr Stefani de Graaff of the Hartenbos Animal Hospital gave it a rabies vaccination.
The seal is still resting on the farm as of this morning, 27 July.
The elephant seal hauled out on 15 July. Photo: Smart
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
