Cape Town – Just how a Cape Fur Seal found itself wandering in traffic along Jakes Gerwel Drive early on Wednesday, remains a mystery.
The seal, which stunned onlookers and motorists, has since been taken in by animal welfare organisation, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
Chief inspector, Jaco Pieterse, said they were alerted to the scene in Athlone and found the large adult female Cape Fur Seal wandering about into traffic, while attracting a crowd of bemused onlookers.
Pieterse and inspector Lawzi Ntungele responded to the call.
“(We) found a large adult female Cape Fur Seal wandering about into traffic, while attracting a crowd of bemused onlookers.
“The City of Cape Town’s Metro Police were also on scene and controlling the traffic to keep the animal safe. The SPCA inspectors, experienced in the ways of fur seals, acted quickly to get the animal safely into a crate before a quick health assessment and on its way to the nearest quiet beach where it can recover from its ordeal in peace.
“How a seal got to be there in the first place, so far from the ocean, will remain a mystery.
“One theory is that it had swum into a canal and was washed further away by strong currents, or that it was intended to be an unusual Christmas gift for someone’s mother-in-law and then merely dumped when its captor saw the price of fish!
“Either way, Santa the seal (as she was named by onlookers), skipped into the water and swam off with a wave of her flipper, her Christmas shopping will have to wait,” said Pieterse.
The organisation, which does most of its work through the charity of donors, has requested donations so animal welfare efforts, such as the rescue of the seal, can continue.
If you would like to donate, use below details:
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: 025309 / 051001 (internet banking)
Account Number: 071832858
SWIFT: SBZA ZA JJ
Account Type: Cheque
Account Name: The Cape of Good Hope SPCA
Beneficiary Reference: Wild & Your Name and Email or Phone number
Send proof of payment to: [email protected]
Cape Times