CAPE TOWN WELCOMES BAKKIES, THE ELEPHANT SEAL, BACK TO ITS SHORES

By Two Oceans Aquarium

Bakkies the elephant seal has made a return. Bakkies was previously tagged with a flipper tag on Bakoven Beach in December 2024 and last seen around Mouille Point in April. He most recently hauled out at Onrus Beach! Please ensure you keep a safe distance for you and Bakkies

START Southern elephant seals have been spotted on Cape Town’s shores, once again! These fascinating, and rather large, marine visitors (or vagrant visitors) from the South Atlantic Ocean, make an appearance seasonally to haul out of the water for their moulting period. We are delighted to announce that one special individual, Bakkies the elephant seal, has made a return.

I am sure he will grab the attention and excitement from Capetonians matching that of our beloved ‘celebrity’ vagrant elephant seal, Buffel. This favourite marine giant has made regular appearances along Cape Town’s coast for many years now, an exciting experience for the city’s public.

“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,” says Gregg Oelofse, Coastal and Environmental Manager for City of Cape Town.

Important safety rules to follow around elephant seals:

• Respect their space: Always stay at least 20 metres away

• Respect cordoned-off areas by remaining behind any barriers set in place

• Do not pour water over the elephant seal as this causes unnecessary additional stress

• Minimise any noise and movement around the elephant seal

• Please keep all dogs on leashes to prevent any unexpected interactions between animals

The southern elephant seals seen at a few beaches along the Western Cape coastline have come here to rest and moult. This is a vulnerable time for the elephant seals as they completely shed their outermost layer of skin and fur. Respecting these guidelines helps protect visiting seals like Bakkies, giving them the calm needed to rest, moult, and eventually return to the ocean. It also ensures a safe and memorable experience for all observers!

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

Bakkies

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 our 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. Both these organisations are active members of the South African National Stranding Network.

‘Celebrity vagrants’ like Bakkies making appearances along our coastline have 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.

Southern elephant seals – a vagrant species to Cape Town’s coast

As the largest of the world’s seal species, southern elephant seals are true 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.

“While it is unusual to see them on our shores, hauling out onto beaches to rest or moult is a natural behaviour and rarely a cause for concern. The presence of southern elephant seals on South African beaches offers valuable opportunities to learn more about these animals through tagging and re-sighting efforts, while also educating the public on respectfully co-existing with wildlife,” said Ms Viljoen

While in the icy-cold oceans, elephant seals conserve energy by reducing blood circulation next to their skin. This results in a lack of ability to grow new skin and hair cells like other mammals. To maintain healthy skin and fur (and good insulation), the elephant seals must come to land where they can be surrounded by air, instead of cold water, for three to five weeks.

“Let’s ensure our visiting seals can rest and moult in peace before returning to their ocean home undisturbed,” said Ms Viljoen. “Each sighting adds to our understanding of these remarkable animals, and we love being able to raise awareness about their presence along our shores to promote more informed and respectful public action.”