SEAL STROLLS THROUGH GORDON’S BAY

An elephant seal surprised the people of Gordon’s Bay when it casually strolled through the streets.

Early on Tuesday morning, Gordy the seal, as the locals have affectionately named him, was spotted almost a kilometre inland. Residents couldn’t believe their eyes as Gordy casually cruised down the suburban street, appearing calm and unthreatened.

If left unprovoked, seals are harmless, but due to Gordy’s rather large size and the fact that traffic started to build up, it was clear that there might be some dangers ahead.

To ensure Gordy stays calm and doesn’t hurt himself, a full-scale rescue operation was put in place. Luckily, it was a compassionate effort and not one where anyone was in danger.

Local law enforcement, traffic services, Gordon’s Bay Security and the South African Police Service joined forces to ensure Gordy’s safety, and he strolled through the streets.

Not long after, several specialists arrived to assist. These included teams from the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, SANParks, the City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management and Marine Unit, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters, as well as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Once the SPCA felt that Gordy was well and truly secure, the help of a wildlife vet was called in to sedate him.

Once sound asleep, Gordy was loaded onto a game capture trailer. By later afternoon, he was awake and given the all-clear by the vet.

Gordy was transported and released in Kogel Bay, an area known for being suited for elephant seals.

Gordy’s morning outing even made international news with the likes of CNN covering his story.

Image credit: The Straits Times