Seals at Cape Town's Hout Bay harbour have long attracted tourists who interact with them for a small donation to informal 'handlers' of the animals. The Department of Forestries, Fisheries and the Environment, the city and the SPCA are now urging people not to harass the seals for social media content.

Seals from Duiker Island off the coast of Hout Bay, Cape Town, have endured everything from beatings and overfeeding to being forced to physically interact with people.

This has prompted legal action.

On 8 November, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA obtained an order from the Wynberg Magistrates' Court allowing it to seize five seals which were being abused and exploited at Hout Bay harbour.

'Cycle of abuse'

The chief inspector of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, Jaco Pieterse, warned on the organisation's website: "Exploiting these wild animals for the sake of getting a good picture for your social media platforms is not only morally and ethically wrong, it also perpetuates a cycle of abuse and cruelty. Please prioritise their welfare over how many likes and shares you can generate online."

The SPCA took to Facebook to explain what was happening to the seals.

It said the animals were effectively exploited because seal "handlers" charged tourists to feed or engage with the seals and photograph their experiences.

Daily Maverick has previously reported that this activity is primarily driven by the human appetite for entertainment.

Cruelty and obesity

SPCA communication manager, Belinda Abraham, told Daily...