Cape Town - Marine experts have weighed in on the frequency of seal attacks around the Cape and the possible cause.
This comes after a video of a young seal exhibiting unusually aggressive behaviour at Clifton 4th Beach went viral. The clip shows the seal attacking a child and other beachgoers frolicking in the surf on Tuesday.
In trying to separate the seal from the child, the boy’s father was also bitten.
City coastal manager Gregg Oelofse said lifesavers treated the bites on site before the victims were sent for medical treatment. The bites were not serious at the time.
A US actress who was bitten six times said she was on the mend.
LouLou Taylor wrote on Instagram: “Be careful swimming at Clifton, I was attacked by a seal in the water and bitten six times, requiring an ER visit and strong antibiotics. They have big teeth. Thank you to those who helped me in and out of the water.”
Sea Search Research and Conservation research assistant Aaron Barnes said: “This was unusual behaviour but not completely unheard of. We received a number of other attack reports last year, so there has definitely been a shift in the behaviour of seals towards humans, and it is something that warrants further investigation.”
As for the attack at Clifton, Barnes said the seal was probably in distress, but it was highly unusual for a seal, or any animal that did not consciously pursue humans, to attack without means and with intention.
Marine conservation photographer Jean Tresfon said: “I have been diving and filming fur seals for over 30 years without a single incident of being injured.
“A playful nip is common and normal investigatory behaviour for an intelligent and curious animal, but this was flat-out aggression, not at all normal behaviour.”
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said that there were reports indicating similar incidents involving aggressive seals in Hout Bay and Yzerfontein, and in recent months at Fish Hoek and Noordhoek Beach.
Tresfon said there was also an attack on a diver at Spaniard Rock in False Bay.
“The prevailing theory among marine scientists is that the heightened aggressive behaviour by these animals is a result of neurological damage caused by domoic acid toxicity, the by-product of harmful algal blooms. Nature fighting back over all the s*** we pump into the ocean,” Tresfon said.
This was explored in recent research work by marine scientists such as Tess Gridley at Sea Search, which showed elevated levels of domoic acid in victims of the mass seal mortality event that happened in recent years.
Barnes said: “We have evidence that the domoic acid toxin is indeed present in seals, but we cannot yet say for sure that this is the cause of increased aggression … It could indeed be the cause of the attack at Clifton, especially due to the seal’s behaviour aligning with the effects of the toxin, but we do not have the full picture.”
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA reminded people not to approach any wild animal, especially Cape fur seals.
The City of Cape Town also reminded residents to keep a safe and respectful distance from marine and coastal wildlife at all times.
Deputy Mayor and Mayco Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews said: “Residents are reminded to keep their distance from marine mammals and to not interfere with them.
“Residents and visitors are encouraged to treat all marine and coastal wildlife with respect and to remove their pets from areas where wildlife may be present.
“In the interest of the safety of beach users, as well as the animals, I want to kindly request residents and visitors to keep a safe and respectful distance from these animals,” said Andrews.
kristin.engel@inl.co.za