Seal captured at The Point sent for rabies testing

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Samples for rabies and avian flu testing have been sent to the state veterinarian after a seal showing clinical signs of a respiratory problem was captured at The Point last Thursday, 9 April.

According to a Facebook post by the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (Smart), the organisation had received a report of a seal on the rocks at The Point.

Smart’s volunteers had gone down to the area to monitor the seal and film and send videos of it to Dr Frans de Graaff of the Hartenbos Animal Hospital and Dr Greg Hofmeyr, the curator of the marine mammal collection at Gqeberha’s Bayworld.

Smart said the seal seemed very lethargic that day and was not moving much. The following day, the seal still showed the same symptoms, but was now also coughing.

By Thursday, the seal was still on the rocks, but now there was an added concern for her well-being: the extreme heat.

Hartenbos Animal Hospital told Mossel Bay Advertiser that Sr Stefanie de Graaff, Christie de Graaff and Robert Pinkhard had gone out to The Point on Thursday.

Doreen and Mario Ellis, volunteers of Smart, at The Point. Photo: Tersia Marais

“The seal showed no visible clinical signs of neurological disease, but did show clinical signs of a respiratory problem. She had laboured breathing and was uncomfortable lying on her sides,” said the hospital.

Stefanie, Pinkhard and Smart volunteers Mario Ellis and Louis Steyn captured the seal using a hoop net from Smart. The hospital stated that the seal was very weak. It was transported to the hospital where it was humanely euthanised due to her dire condition.

The hospital said the samples had been sent for testing, but no results have yet been received.

A month prior, on 10 March, a seal pup was found on Diaz Beach. Smart said it was reported to the organisation that the creature was displaying unusual behaviour.

Smart volunteer Louis Steyn monitors the situation. Photo: Tersia Marais

When the volunteers arrived to assess the situation, the seal made its way back to the ocean, only to pop up on Hartenbos Beach later that day.

It was safely captured and taken to the Hartenbos Animal Hospital, where it was humanely euthanised, and samples were sent to the state veterinarian for rabies testing. Smart said those results came back positive for rabies on 25 March.

On 9 January this year, an adult seal was spotted along the riverbank of the Little Brak River. The Advertiser reported that the Smart volunteers closely monitored it, and that it was calm and showed no signs of abnormal behaviour at first, but just after 15:00, the situation changed and the seal began exhibiting aggressive behaviour.

After consulting with marine biologist Dr Greg Hofmeyr and Dr Gerhard Cilliers of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in Cape Town, the seal was humanely euthanised on the riverbank at 16:00.

Samples were sent to the state veterinarian for testing and on 16 January, the results came back as positive.

The Advertiser has sent queries to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture regarding this latest incident and the 10 March incident, and asked how many rabies cases in seals have been reported in the Western Cape since January this year.

Its response will be added as soon as it has been received.

Immediately report any seals ashore or incidents to Smart on 072 227 4715, Dr Hofmeyr on 071 724 2122, or the Garden Route SPCA Mossel Bay branch on 044 693 0824.

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