‘The best moments in rescue are the releases.’
Hout Bay, South Africa (22 April 2026) – A team of volunteer rescuers celebrated another successful release of two Cape fur seals recently!
One seal, who required only a week’s care after rescuers found him, has made his way back into the sea alongside another seal who had been rescued three weeks earlier in Kommetjie.
Amos, said to be one of the entirely volunteer-managed centre’s seal whisperers, handled the release. Both seals swam off into icy waters with great enthusiasm.
‘Last week’s rescue just needed a little rehabilitation as he was extremely weak. The other was rescued from Kommijie and has spent 3 weeks at the centre to gain some body fat.’
The video makes us all kinds of happy, especially considering the commitment and love this team pours into saving needy seals.
The Hout Bay Seal Rescue Centre believes in giving every rescue a fighting chance. Without the work they do, many sick or injured seals would otherwise not make it without them.
“We might not be successful at saving them all but without us, they would all most certainly die. We do what we can for the ones that do survive, they are the reason we do what we do! Every life matters.” the organisation shares.
They’re the heroes who answer the call and act immediately. Just last month, the team, through a coordinated rescue effort, managed to save a seal that had been spotted with a piece of discarded material cutting into its neck, like a noose. The seal was cut loose and is now healing in the ocean’s salty waters.
The organisation runs entirely on the support of donations. Help covering operational costs like medical supplies and fuel is needed. Find out how you can support here.
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