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State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
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The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
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Recreation

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Coastal risk and vulnerability

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Coastal issues

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09 Aug 2020

Rare leopard seal lands on Plettenberg Bay shore

(Zululand Observer) Picture: A very rare visitor, a leopard seal, was spotted on Plettenberg Bay's Robberg Beach. Danielle Conry

Local marine biologist Dr Gwen Penry said she was alerted to reports of a seal on Robberg Beach on Monday morning. On closer inspection it was established that the visitor was a leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). According to Penry, spotting these creatures along the South African coastline is a truly rare occasion as their normal range is in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands more than 4 000km away.

Last month the carcass of a juvenile leopard seal was found along Cape Recife beach in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. This was only the ninth recorded sighting of the species in South Africa since 1946. Before that, the last one was found in Milnerton near Cape Town last year. The Plettenberg Bay sighting was likely the 10th one spotted in South Africa in more than seven decades.

A very rare visitor, a leopard seal, clearly swooned over the beach experience that Robberg beach offers. Photo: Danielle Conry

Penry said the seal was a juvenile male with an estimated length of about 2m, and added that they can grow up to 3,7m in length and reach a weight of about 600kg.

“This individual is very thin, but after a slow start dragging himself down the beach, he eventually headed back out to sea,” Penry said.

Marine biologists are unsure how these seals end up along the South African coast, but believe it could be that young animals become lost and swim out of their range.

Penry warned that should a leopard seal be spotted on the beach, it should not be approached as it may just need time to rest.

“Please report it immediately to Beach Control or the Plett Stranding Hotline 079 463 4837,” she advised.

She explained that leopard seals are apex predators and have enormous teeth and powerful jaws. They feed on penguins, smaller seals, fish and krill, but will feel threatened by humans or dogs if approached, which could cause an aggressive response.

 

A very rare visitor, a leopard seal, was spotted on Plettenberg Bay’s Robberg Beach. Photo: Danielle Conry

 

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