The recent discovery of rabies in seals has sent a shockwave through the ocean-users' community. Is this the missing puzzle piece that could explain their behavioural change?

Listen to this article 6 min Listen to this article 6 min For years, Cape fur seals have displayed unusual behaviour -- getting unnervingly close to swimmers, chasing scuba divers to the surface, and inflicting severe bite wounds on freedivers. The recent discovery of rabies in seals has sent a shockwave through the ocean-users' community. Is this the missing puzzle piece that could explain their behavioural change?

Seal health before rabies

Until four years ago, no data on seal health existed, leaving a significant gap in understanding the diseases affecting their populations. Sea Search, a collective of marine mammal scientists, began investigating seal health after observing unusual behaviour and health issues, including increased aggression, pup die-offs, and mass abortions.

The population of Cape fur seals ranges between 1,7 and 2,1 million, spanning an approximately 2,800km-long coastline from southern Angola to Plettenberg Bay -- a vast stretch of land, often inaccessible to researchers.

advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsSeal mortality is naturally high, with approximately 40% of pups dying in their first year due to various natural causes. Tests revealed significant levels of domoic acid, a neurotoxin, in many seals. This toxin, produced during harmful algal blooms, accumulates in...