Seals have been biting people in the first big outbreak of the disease in marine mammals, writes Nick Dall in Cape Town
Up to 2m Cape fur seals live along the southern African coast. Surfers used to enjoy interacting with them – until nine of them tested positive for rabies.Up to 2m Cape fur seals live along the southern African coast. Surfers used to enjoy interacting with them – until nine of them tested positive for rabies.t’s happened to me dozens of times: I’m riding a wave when, out of the corner of my eye, I see a black shape coming up beneath me.
Oelofse stresses that the increasing number of cases is not a sign of the outbreak increasing exponentially. “We are retrospectively testing euthanised animals,” he says. “We are very fortunate that Sea Search has sampled and kept 120 brains over the last two and a half years.” On Cape Town’s shoreline, swimmers and surfers like me are being given a clear message: anyone bitten by a seal, no matter how long ago, must seek medical attention immediately.But the evidence Oelofse has seen of reports is reassuring. “We think quite a few people have been bitten by rabid seals, but luckily no human has got infected yet,” he says. “We don’t know why.
While panic and the urge to swim away from any seal fast is understandable, Oelofse says it is not entirely justified. “If a seal is behaving weirdly or aggressively, stay well away and report it to the authorities,” he says. “A relaxed seal is unlikely to pose a threat.”The message seems to be getting through. I was out surfing yesterday when a seal joined us at the backline, rolling around on the surface like an oversized labrador.
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