Bakkies the elephant seal returns to Cape Town's shores

Bakkies the elephant seal has been spotted on Cape Town’s shores once again.

Elephant seals from the South Atlantic Ocean make an appearance seasonally to haul out of the water for their moulting period, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation said. Bakkies has made regular appearances along Cape Town’s coast for many years now.

When sighted, his identity was confirmed by the blue tag #17612 on his back flipper, as part of a joint effort by the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI), Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and the Aquarium’s Marine Wildlife team.

“Bakkies, originally flipper-tagged at Bakoven in December 2024, was last reported near Mouille Point in April. He most recently hauled out at Onrus Beach,” said Martine Viljoen, Marine Wildlife Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and V&A Waterfront.

In response to Bakkies’ most recent appearance, the Overstrand Municipality’s Environmental division quickly set up a protective cordon. Volunteers from the Onrus Vermont Special Rating Area NPC also stepped up, taking dedicated shifts to spread awareness and ensure Bakkies had undisturbed space to rest.

The Foundation said Bakkies making appearances along the coastline has highlighted the need for public awareness and safety protocols.

“This new sighting is a powerful reminder that Southern elephant seals aren’t just curiosities from afar. They sometimes appear along our coastline, and when they do, it's our chance to practice respectful wildlife viewing and share in their story. This is a unique opportunity to learn more about a seal species very different to our local Cape fur seals,” the Foundation said.

As the largest of the world’s seal species, southern elephant seals are giants of the seal world. Males can grow to lengths of nearly 7m and weigh as much as five tonnes.

Southern elephant seals have a wide distribution in the Southern Ocean, with most of the breeding and resting sites on the Subantarctic and Antarctic islands. The closest colony of these seals lives about 2 177km away from Cape Town, on South Africa’s Marion Island. These enormous seals spend most of their time at sea, only hauling themselves onto land during breeding, moulting, and winter periods.

The southern elephant seals seen at a few beaches along the Western Cape coastline are known as vagrant species, coming here for some time to rest and moult. This is a vulnerable time for the elephant seals as they completely shed their outermost layer of skin and fur.

“Let’s ensure our visiting seals can rest and moult in peace before returning to their ocean home undisturbed,” said Viljoen.

City Coastal and Environmental Manager Gregg Oelofse added: “It’s incredible to see the effort from the Two Oceans Aquarium Marine Wildlife team paying off, especially around tagging and vaccinating these elephant seals. Had the individual not been tagged and vaccinated when it was in Bakoven, we would never have known that the same seal later seen in Onrus was already vaccinated and previously recorded. It really highlights the value and reward of the team’s hard work, something we can all be grateful for." 

If members of the public see anyone (or their dog) harassing, harming, or interfering with an elephant seal, they are urged to alert the City on 021 480 77 00 or 083 940 8143. 

Cape Times