Latest news with #BelindaAbraham
Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Oh, Gordy: 2,000kg elephant seal takes a wrong turn, ends up in South African suburb
A 2,000kg elephant seal that ended up in a Cape Town suburb resting his head on the hood of a police car. PHOTO: CAPE OF GOOD HOPE SPCA Signed, sealed and delivered. After nine hours of drama and cuteness overload, an elephant seal the size of a small car was herded back to the sea after lumbering across a coastal town in South Africa. The young bull was reported to have lost its way and ended up along a street in Gordon's Bay near Cape Town, startling residents there who then began owning him and calling him 'Gordy'. 'This is unreal. Hi, bro, how did you get here?' one woman asked. The seal was first spotted early in the morning on May 27, already 1km inland. The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said it was likely he swam over 1,500km to end up in Gordon's Bay. Police and a local security company tried to corral the seal by parking patrol cars around him. The 2,000kg creature rested his huge head on the hood of one car and half-climbed over another before slipping free, crossing a road and carrying on up a sidewalk. He stopped next to a shopping mall. He was also sighted on a small lawn outside a house. Animal welfare officials had worried he was too far from the ocean to find his way back and might become exhausted and dehydrated. 'Wild animals don't always follow the script, and this seal's unexpected journey into a residential area created real cause for concern,' Ms Belinda Abraham, an SPCA spokesman, said in a statement. 'With so many moving parts – traffic, onlookers and a massive marine mammal in distress – it took rapid coordination and clear focus to keep everyone safe,' she said. Police and animal welfare and marine wildlife specialists worked for nine hours to get a 2,000kg elephant seal back to the sea. PHOTO: CAPE OF GOOD HOPE SPCA A team of marine wildlife specialists and a city veterinarian sedated the seal and guided him into an animal transport trailer. By late afternoon, the vet gave the all-clear, and the seal was transported to Kogel Bay, where his recovery from sedation was closely monitored. As soon as he was fully awake, Gordy hopped his way back towards the sea. 'Sea you later,' the Cape of Good Hope SPCA said in a send-off video. The SPCA later reported that Gordy was again spotted on land, near a naval base in Simon's Town, and that he was in a 'safe and secure location with no immediate threats to his well-being'. 'It truly takes a village,' said Ms Abraham. 'We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stepped up today, for their professionalism, their compassion and their quick response to an animal in distress.' Southern elephant seals are the world's largest seal species and are commonly found in sub-Antarctic regions, not South Africa. But every once in a while, lone elephant seals – usually young males – find their way to South Africa's coast. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The South African
4 days ago
- General
- The South African
Elephant Seal BACK on land – this time in Simon's Town
Cape Town's now favourite blubbery visitor has hauled out again - this time at the Naval Base in Simon's Town. Image: Facebook @CapeofGoodHopeSPCA Cape Town's now favourite blubbery visitor has hauled out again – this time at the Naval Base in Simon's Town. The SPCA has confirmed that the Southern elephant seal – unofficially named Gordy – is currently safe and secure in a location where he cannot access any roads, and there's no immediate risk to his well-being. A SPCA inspector and City of Cape Town officials are on scene, keeping a close eye on him. For now, he's simply resting, which is completely normal behaviour. The SPCA will continue to monitor him closely and are ready to step in if he shows any sign of distress or needs help. BACK STORY It's not every day that a Southern elephant seal makes an appearance in a residential neighbourhood, but that's exactly what happened in Gordon's Bay when a sub-adult male was discovered lounging alongside Sir Lowry's Pass Road, nearly one kilometre inland. The call came in at 06:20 and by 07:00, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA had arrived to assess the situation. What followed was a nearly nine-hour rescue operation involving a well-coordinated effort across multiple agencies to ensure the sub-adult male's safety and eventual return to a more suitable coastal environment. From seaside to suburbia Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are the world's largest seal species and are usually found in sub-Antarctic regions. While sightings in South Africa are rare, occasional lone individuals, typically young males, do haul out along our coastline during moulting or rest phases. But making it inland and into a neighbourhood is, by all accounts, highly unusual. 'Wild animals don't always follow the script, and this seal's unexpected journey into a residential area created real cause for concern,' said Belinda Abraham, Spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. 'With so many moving parts – traffic, onlookers, and a massive marine mammal in distress – it took rapid coordination and clear focus to keep everyone safe'. A safe return to the sea While the seal appeared to be unharmed, his urban detour posed risks – both to himself and to motorists. With the assistance of the Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, SAPS, Gordon's Bay Security and Gordon's Bay Medical Ambulance Services, the area was secured and traffic redirected while the SPCA, City of Cape Town's Coastal Management and Marine Unit, SANParks, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) stepped in. The SPCA monitored the seal's welfare throughout the incident, including during sedation by a wildlife veterinarian and the difficult process of loading the animal into the City's large game capture trailer. By late afternoon, the seal had been given the all clear by the veterinarian and safely transported to Koggel Bay, where his recovery from sedation was monitored before our team left the site. A community effort 'It truly takes a village says Abraham. We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stepped up today – for their professionalism, their compassion, and their quick response to an animal in distress.' Residents who encounter wildlife in urban spaces are reminded not to approach, feed, or attempt to assist the animals, but rather to contact the Cape of Good Hope SPCA for assistance. The number to dial is 0217004158/9, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What's the strangest thing you've seen in your street? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Watch: Seal's safe return after nearly 9-hour rescue operation
The elephant seal that gave Gordon's Bay its 'seal of approval' after shuffling through a suburban part of the harbour town yesterday was safely returned to the ocean. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA reports that the rescue operation lasted nearly nine hours. Since then, several videos of the rescue and the animal's release have been shared across social media, drawing steady interest from viewers. The wandering marine mammal, since identified by the SPCA as a southern elephant seal, grabbed national attention yesterday when reports emerged of the animal on the move along Sir Lowry's Pass Road. Videos of the unusual sighting spread like a fast-moving tide. Elephant Seal Surprise in Gordon's Bay SPCA Inspectors are currently on site in Sir Lowry's Pass Road, where a rather unexpected visitor — an Elephant Seal — has found its way into a residential area. They're actively working on a safe and stress-free plan to relocate this… — alexlansdowne (@alexlansdowne) May 27, 2025 Within minutes of being reported, SPCA inspectors made their way to the area, and the rescue mission was put in motion. Timeline of events: Call came in at 06:20 Cape of Good Hope SPCA arrived at 07:00 and assessed the situation Law enforcement, traffic services, SAPS, Gordon's Bay Security and Gordon's Bay Medical Ambulance Services secured the area and redirected traffic The SPCA, City of Cape Town's Coastal Management and Marine Unit, SANParks, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment stepped in Wildlife veterinarian sedated the animal The team undertook the daunting process of loading the animal into the city's large-game capture trailer By late afternoon, the seal was cleared by the veterinarian The animal was safely transported to Koggel Bay – approximately 16km away from Sir Lowry's Pass Road Recovery from sedation was closely monitored 'Sea you later' – rescue complete Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham, in a post on their website, said: 'Wild animals don't always follow the script, and this seal's unexpected journey into a residential area created real cause for concern. With so many moving parts — traffic, onlookers, and a massive marine mammal in distress — it took rapid co-ordination and clear focus to keep everyone safe.' The post added that encounters with these magnificent animals on our shores are uncommon, usually limited to solitary, often juvenile, males seeking a brief respite or a place to shed their old coats. She concluded: 'We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stepped up today — for their professionalism, their compassion, and their quick response to an animal in distress.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cape of Good Hope SPCA (@capespca) Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
5 days ago
- General
- IOL News
LOOK: Seal Ya Later, Cape Town! Southern elephant seal safely back at sea after Gordon's Bay 'stroll'
The Southern elephant seal that caused a bit of fun drama in Gordon's Bay this week. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media A Southern elephant seal's unexpected journey through the streets of Gordon's Bay ended with a successful rescue operation. The seal's short visit caused quite the rukus on the streets of Cape Town with locals rushing to get a view of the giant animal. Emergency Rescue Operations The Cape of Good Hope SPCA confirmed that a coordinated rescue effort was launched immediately after the seal was spotted near Sir Lowry's Pass Road around 6am. A team of wildlife and emergency services worked together to ensure the safe return of the seal to its ocean home. Local Reaction Residents were astonished as they witnessed the large seal moving clumsily along the roads, even pausing at one point to rest on a parked vehicle. Many locals captured videos and photographs of the comical scene unfolding in their neighbourhood. Coordinated Efforts By 8am, the SPCA had secured the area with assistance from various organisations, including the City of Cape Town's Marine Unit, SANParks, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters, Traffic Services, SAPS, and Gordon's Bay Security and Medical Services. This collaboration highlighted the community's dedication to animal welfare. Successful Relocation Thanks to the strategic planning and teamwork involved, the elephant seal was successfully sedated and transported back to its natural habitat. SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham expressed gratitude for the community's concern for the seal's welfare, stating, "Animal rescue truly takes a village."
The South African
5 days ago
- General
- The South African
Elephant Seal's surprise visit to Gordon's Bay streets has a happy ending
It's not every day that a Southern elephant seal makes an appearance in a residential neighbourhood, but that's exactly what happened in Gordon's Bay when a sub-adult male was discovered lounging alongside Sir Lowry's Pass Road, nearly one kilometre inland. The call came in at 06:20 and by 07:00, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA had arrived to assess the situation. What followed was a nearly nine-hour rescue operation involving a well-coordinated effort across multiple agencies to ensure the sub-adult male's safety and eventual return to a more suitable coastal environment. Southern elephant seals ( Mirounga leonina ) are the world's largest seal species and are usually found in sub-Antarctic regions. While sightings in South Africa are rare, occasional lone individuals, typically young males, do haul out along our coastline during moulting or rest phases. But making it inland and into a neighbourhood is, by all accounts, highly unusual. 'Wild animals don't always follow the script, and this seal's unexpected journey into a residential area created real cause for concern,' said Belinda Abraham, Spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. 'With so many moving parts – traffic, onlookers, and a massive marine mammal in distress – it took rapid coordination and clear focus to keep everyone safe'. While the seal appeared to be unharmed, his urban detour posed risks – both to himself and to motorists. With the assistance of the Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, SAPS, Gordon's Bay Security and Gordon's Bay Medical Ambulance Services, the area was secured and traffic redirected while the SPCA, City of Cape Town's Coastal Management and Marine Unit, SANParks, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) stepped in. The SPCA monitored the seal's welfare throughout the incident, including during sedation by a wildlife veterinarian and the difficult process of loading the animal into the City's large game capture trailer. By late afternoon, the seal had been given the all clear by the veterinarian and safely transported to Koggel Bay, where his recovery from sedation was monitored before our team left the site. 'It truly takes a village says Abraham. We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stepped up today – for their professionalism, their compassion, and their quick response to an animal in distress.' Residents who encounter wildlife in urban spaces are reminded not to approach, feed, or attempt to assist the animals, but rather to contact the Cape of Good Hope SPCA for assistance. The number to dial is 0217004158/9, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
