A wounded baby seal that was brought to the Hout Bay Seal Rescue Centre (HSRC) by a homeless man over the weekend has been euthanised.
The seal seemed stunned or beaten when it was brought in, according to the centre.
It was reported that the man came upon a distressed seal on Glen Beach and carried it around in his arms, looking for help.
Kim Krynauw of the HSRC said: “This juvenile seemed as if it had been stunned or beaten, therefore imobilsing this seal into a tame state. We have never seen a seal act this way before. The (man who brought in the seal) was also abusive towards our staff shouting ‘don't take my baby away’. Sadly due to dehydration and organ failure this seal had to be euthanised. Seals are a protected species and only permitted by organisations that are allowed to remove animals from beaches,“ she said.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA chief inspector Jaco Pieterse said any concerns about a stranded seal should be reported to the SPCA wildlife department.
“Seals are wild animals and can give a nasty bite. A bite from a seal could have serious consequences because of the bacteria present in their mouth. If you are concerned about a stranded seal, rather report it to the SPCA wildlife department.”
To report cruelty towards wildlife or for assistance with wild animals in distress, call the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Inspectorate on 021 700 4158/4159 or after-hours, weekends and public holidays on 083 326 1604.
Cape Times