Don't touch seals, public warned again

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Following reports of people trying to pull a distressed Cape fur seal into the sea at Tergniet, east of Mossel Bay, the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (S.M.A.R.T.) has again urged people not to approach or touch stranded marine animals.

S.M.A.R.T. committee member Val Marsh said some of the team members had been alerted to a seal displaying possible symptoms of rabies at the beach in Tergniet on 12 April and it tested positive for rabies at the state vet.

Marsh said that on 18 April, the team had received reports of a second seal displaying symptoms of neurological problems in Tergniet and that some people on the beach had allegedly tried to pull the seal by the flippers back to the water.

She said reports from the public to S.M.A.R.T. indicated that this was done twice before the team, with the assistance of the Garden Route SPCA Mossel Bay branch, could come out and collect the seal and take it to Hartenbos Animal Hospital.

She said samples were taken by the state vet, however, she was still awaiting feedback on whether the seal had rabies or not.

Mossel Bay Advertiser sent an enquiry to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture on 22 April regarding this incident as well as an enquiry earlier in April, regarding the testing of seals with possible rabies symptoms collected by S.M.A.R.T. in March.

The department had not responded to the media enquiries at the time of going to print.

With regards to the incident on 18 April, when the seal was allegedly pulled by its flippers, Marsh said that while the team "truly appreciate the community's concern for our marine life, such actions carry serious risks".

She noted: "Rabies is a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease and handling wildlife displaying abnormal behaviour can place you in real danger.

"We strongly urge the public never to approach or assist wild animals in distress. Instead, please contact trained professionals, such as S.M.A.R.T. or the Garden Route SPCA Mossel Bay branch. They are are properly equipped to manage these situations safely and humanely."

Immediate medical attention
The rabies virus is spread to humans and other animals through contact with the saliva of infected animals. Humans can be exposed to rabies through bites, scratches or licks to wounds, grazes and broken skin by rabid animals.

Immediate medical attention following suspected rabies exposure is critical.

If no post-exposure prophylaxis is given, an infected person may start experiencing symptoms one to three months after exposure.

Symptoms include: discomfort or pain at the site of the wound, fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. This rapidly progresses to signs of neurological dysfunction, which may include changed behaviour, confusion and agitation.

People with rabies can also display hypersalivation and localised weakness which eventually progresses to coma and death.

Avoid interacting with wild animals
The Advertiser has published extensively on rabies in seals since the first incident of a seal with rabies in Mossel Bay was confirmed in July last year.

The seal was spotted at the Poort swimming area at The Point, displaying unusual and aggressive behaviour.

In January this year, the Advertiser reported that, according to the Department of Agriculture, there had been a total of 55 laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies in seals in South Africa since June last year.

The total included 39 cases from the Western Cape and 16 cases from the Northern Cape.

The Advertiser had sent a media enquiry on 31 March this year, requesting an update on the total but has not received a response.

Previous statements from the department have urged people to avoid interacting with seals and other wild animals, ensure your pets' rabies vaccinations are current, keep dogs controlled or on a leash to prevent contact with wild animals and to report any strange animal behaviour to the local State Veterinary Office (www.elsenburg.com/veterinary-services/).

To report any instances of seals or other marine animals in distress or behaving unusually, contact S.M.A.R.T. (072 227 4715); Dr Greg Hofmeyr, the curator for marine mammals at Bayworld in Gqeberha (071 724 2122); or Mossel Bay Municipality (all hours, 044 606 5000).

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