Bakkies the elephant seal returns to Cape Town's shores
Bakkies the Southern Elephant seal has returned. The public is warned to keep their distance when visiting areas where elephant seals are moulting.
Image: Supplied
Bakkies the elephant seal, has made a return.
Southern elephant seals have been spotted on Cape Town’s shores, once again. These fascinating, and rather large, marine visitors (or vagrant visitors) from the South Atlantic Ocean, make an appearance seasonally to haul out of the water for their moulting period, one of which is fondly known as Bakkies.
Gregg Oelofse, Coastal and Environmental Manager for City of Cape Town. said another popular seal was, Buffel, which became a familiar sight around Cape Town.
"I am sure he will grab the attention and excitement from Capetonians matching that of our beloved ‘celebrity’ vagrant elephant seal, Buffel. This favourite marine giant has made regular appearances along Cape Town’s coast for many years now, an exciting experience for the city’s public.
"Had the individual not been tagged and vaccinated when it was in Bakoven, we would never have known that the same seal later seen in Onrus was already vaccinated and previously recorded. It really highlights the value and reward of the team’s hard work, something we can all be grateful for."
Important safety rules to follow around elephant seals:
- Respect their space: Always stay at least 20 metres away
- Respect cordoned-off areas by remaining behind any barriers set in place
- Do not pour water over the elephant seal as this causes unnecessary additional stress
- Minimise any noise and movement around the elephant seal
- Please keep all dogs on leashes to prevent any unexpected interactions between animal
Bakkies identity was confirmed by the blue tag #17612 on his back flipper.
Image: Supplied
Bakkies, when sighted, his identity was confirmed by the blue tag #17612 on his back flipper, as part of a joint effort by the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI), Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and our Marine Wildlife team.
Martine Viljoen, Marine Wildlife Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and V&A Waterfront explained: "Bakkies, originally flipper tagged at Bakoven in December 2024 was last reported near Mouille Point in April. He most recently hauled out at Onrus Beach.” said Martine Viljoen, Marine Wildlife Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and V&A Waterfront."
In response to Bakkies’ most recent appearance, the Overstrand Municipality’s Environmental division quickly set up a protective cordon. Volunteers from the Onrus Vermont Special Rating Area NPC also stepped up, taking dedicated shifts to spread awareness and ensure Bakkies had undisturbed space to rest. Both these organisations are active members of the South African National Stranding Network.
As the largest of the world’s seal species, southern elephant seals are true giants of the seal world. Males can grow to lengths of nearly 7m and weigh as much as five tonnes.
Southern elephant seals have a wide distribution in the Southern Ocean, with most of the breeding and resting sites on the Subantarctic and Antarctic islands. The closest colony of these seals lives about 2 177km away from Cape Town, on South Africa’s Marion Island.