Chased for a selfie, starving for survival: Help save the Hout Bay Seal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre
This 6kg yearling, barely half the healthy weight, was forced back into the ocean by beachgoers trying to snap selfies.
Image: supplied
A team of dedicated wildlife volunteers are working hard to preserve and rescue orphaned Cape fur seals.
But they need help to keep the momentum going.
It is for this reason that the Hout Bay Seal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre has started a Backabuddy campaign, titled: “Save Hout Bay Seal rescue and Rehabilitation Centre".
Their team of professionals and volunteers respond to call-outs as far as Kommetjie and Langebaan, and often face difficult terrain and challenging conditions.
They urgently need a rescue vehicle as their trusted Bantam bakkie is no longer roadworthy, as they appeal for help to purchase a new or demo vehicle, that can tackle the coastal terrain and accommodate animal transport.
They also require permanent electricity installation, a fresh water supply for the care of the seals and ongoing operational costs, which will foot the bill for medical supplies, basic maintenance and volunteer support, among others.
IIana Nel, first responder and rescue volunteer, said they had seen some horror stories while rescuing seals.
“In the past year alone, HBSRC (Hout Bay Seal rescue and Rehabilitation Centre) has rescued more than 82 seals, each with their own harrowing story and, thanks to the care of the dedicated team, often a hopeful ending,” she said.
“Among the most moving cases was that of a Cape fur seal pup raised at the centre. After weeks of intensive rehabilitation and round-the-clock care, the pup was released back into the wild only to return two years later with a lobster pot trap lodged tightly around its head. Fortunately, because the seal had been rehabilitated at the centre, it was quickly recognised and recaptured for urgent treatment.”
The centre was founded in 1999 by the late Francois Hugo as Seal Alert.
It has been a vital sanctuary for seals in distress and since 2018, has been under the leadership of Kim Krynauw.
It has evolved into a fully registered non-profit and public benefit organisation, accredited by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and operating under a valid TOPS permit.
To help or learn more, visit Hout Bay Seal Rescue Centre on Facebook
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Cape Argus