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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A feisty subantarctic fur seal yearling, rescued about 7km down the coast from Gourits on 9 August, is now undergoing rehabilitation at Bayworld in Gqeberha.
Long-time Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (Smart) volunteers Hanli Venter and Nikki Mills, who manage all marine animal rescues in the Gourits area, rescued the yearling (a seal that is between one and two years old), who had some bite wounds on his hind flippers.
Then they met with another Smart volunteer, Michael de Nobrega, at the Engen Garage on the N2, to hand the seal over. He rushed it to the Hartenbos Animal Hospital to be treated.
Smart committee member Val Marsh said the yearling had its wounds treated at the hospital and was given a rabies vaccination.
The subantarctic seal was taken to Hartenbos animal hospital following his rescue. Video: Michael de Nobrega
On 12 August, Marsh made the drive down to Plettenberg Bay, as it is halfway between Mossel Bay and Gqeberha, to meet with Dr Greg Hofmeyr, the curator for marine mammals at Bayworld, so that the seal could be transferred over to him and taken there to be rehabilitated.
She described the yearling as a ‘feisty little thing’ and added that Venter has since named him Kosie.
“We don’t know at the moment how long the rehabilitation process will take. It depends on his wounds, how long he will need to be in quarantine for and his condition, but it will be at least a month before he is rewilded,” said Hofmeyr.
He added that the cause of the bite wounds on his hind flippers is unknown, but that it might have been from a small shark, another seal or injuries he sustained when he came ashore.
The subantarctic seal was rescued on 9 August. Photo: Michael de Nobrega
According to Bayworld’s website (www.bayworld.co.za), subantarctic fur seals are great travellers, and individuals often come ashore the South African coast in winter, where they are easy to identify by their coloration.
Subantarctic seals have an orange or creamy white chest and face and a brown back and head.
Hofmeyr warned the public to keep their distance if they spot a seal or any other marine life on the beach, and instead to contact Smart on 072 227 4715 or himself on 071 724 2122.
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