A confirmed rabies case among seals off Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape has experts sounding the alarm, warning beachgoers to admire these playful creatures from a safe distance.

Cape fur seals are undeniably adorable - with their playful antics, glistening coats, goofy charm and beachside acrobatics - but experts have issued a stern warning: admire them from a distance.

A confirmed case of rabies in a Cape fur seal at Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape in November has sparked renewed concern among scientists and veterinarians monitoring the long-running outbreak affecting seals along South Africa's coastline.

Curator of marine mammals at Bayworld in Nelson Mandela Bay, Dr Greg Hofmeyr, says this is the first confirmed case of rabies among seals in the Eastern Cape.

Bayworld said that on the morning of Sunday, 16 November, a small seal approached surfers at Jeffreys Bay, attempting to bite them. The surfers fended off the animal with their boards and exited the water safely. No injuries were reported.

Hofmeyr says rabies in seals is notoriously difficult to spot.

"You can't tell if a seal has rabies just by looking at it. Confirmation is only possible after death, when a brain sample is tested in the lab," he said.

Rabid seals may display aggressive behaviour, including unprovoked attacks and the biting of objects both on land and in water. Others may show unusual...