Video
MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - Columbo, the southern elephant seal who has been a regular visitor to Garden Route shores over the past few years, received his first rabies vaccination on Monday, 6 January.
The vaccination was administered by Sister Stefanie de Graaff and Dr Anthony Creighton of the Hartenbos Animal Hospital on Monday afternoon, while Columbo was lounging between rocks near a beach in Jongensfontein, close to Stilbaai.
De Graaff said that due to the rabies cases among Cape fur seals, Hartenbos Animal Hospital was asked by various marine specialists and other veterinarians to vaccinate Columbo, in an effort to prevent a spread of rabies, and outbreak to his southern elephant seal colony.
She said only animals that are identifiable, preferably tagged, can be vaccinated.
Columbo has been tagged and another thing that makes him identifiable, is a permanent eye injury - a white marking in one of his eyes.
VIDEO: Columbo receives his first vaccination
De Graaff and Creighton headed out to the area after work on Monday, with only a GPS location for where Columbo was. When they eventually found him, the next difficult task was ensuring he received his first dose of the rabies vaccine.
She said that rabies vaccinations can only be done by veterinary professionals. De Graaff said Creighton made the first attempt to vaccinate Columbo but the seal turned around and it was up to De Graaff, who was then behind Columbo, to proceed with the vaccination.
"Anthony made some noises to try distract him. We also realised that Columbo could see my shadow and he would sometimes react to that, but I managed to vaccinate him."
Columbo, the Southern elephant seal. Photo: Sister Stefanie de Graaff
De Graaff added that Columbo is still a sub-adult and faster than a fully grown elephant seal would be.
She said that Columbo is currently being monitored by residents of the area, and so far, he has been doing well following the vaccine. She said they will be doing a booster vaccination and a future dose, but when this is done will depend on where Columbo is.
According to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation "southern elephant seals have a wide distribution in the Southern Ocean, with the majority of breeding and resting sites on the Subantarctic and Antarctic islands".
The foundation states that these seals spend up to 85% of each year at sea, only coming on to land during breeding, moulting, and winter periods.
Dr Anthony Creighton and Sister Stefanie de Graaff near Columbo. Photo: Supplied
Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (S.M.A.R.T.) committee member, Val Marsh, said Columbo was last seen around Mossel Bay on 4 January last year and, prior to that, had moulted in the Pinnacle Point area in November 2023.
She said he was last spotted in the Garden Route, around Kaaimans River near Wilderness, on 5 July and had not been seen again until this year.
De Graaff reminded members of the public to not approach elephant seals or any other wild animals.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
