WESTERN CAPE. – Two people were arrested on Friday at Houtbaai harbour for the illegal feeding and harassment of Cape fur seals. The Cape the Good Hope NPO carried out the operation together with the City of Cape Town's law enforcement officials and the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment.
The NPO says the action follows repeated complaints about people allowing visitors, including children, to come dangerously close to seals for photographs in exchange for payment. Cape fur seals are protected animals and feeding, physical contact with and harassment of seals is punishable under applicable legislation. The NPO warns that seals can bite people and that rabies has also been confirmed in Cape fur seals. Anyone bitten or scratched by a seal must seek urgent medical attention.
The NPO and its partners will continue with unannounced inspections and operations at the harbour. Visitors are urged to view seals from a safe distance and to report any illegal activities to the NPO or law enforcement officials.
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This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
