Vincent Calder is supposed to be retired. But retiring from a position in which you were responsible for protecting marine life isn’t as easy as closing Excel for good. So, when retiree Vincent saw the opportunity to save a seal, he couldn’t help but jump right back into action one last time.
Cape Town, South Africa (10 January 2025) — There aren’t many rules when it comes to retirement. However, not returning to work does tend to be a generally accepted requirement. Well, when a good chunk of your working life has been dedicated to animals, it can be really difficult to pump the breaks for good. That’s why when retiree Vincent Calder saw the opportunity to save a seal, he couldn’t help but jump right back into action.
The Plastic Problem
A big plight for Cape fur seals is plastic waste. Curious animals by nature, these seals will often go and investigate what the odd bits and bobs floating around in their backyards are. Sadly, they end up getting detrimentally tangled in the process.
Plastic waste becomes something of a noose for these seals. If not death, the waste can cause terrible injuries to the marine mammals. Without human intervention, the chances of breaking free themselves are not likely.
At the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront’s (V&A) Marina, plastic perils are a problem. Last year, there were over 60 incidents in which seals were entangled! Luckily, seal heroes from the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation were readily available to help our friends with flippers, resulting in many happy endings.
Retiree Vincent to the Rescue!
When Vincent stopped by to visit his old stomping ground and the TOAF’s Marine Wildlife team, it was incredibly fortunate that he happened to be nearby when a seal needed help.
A former Marine Wildlife Management Programme staff member, Vincent understood the assignment, put his wetsuit on and made sure that the seal in trouble was freed from its distress quickly. Retired? Not when you have a life to save.
“Vincent played a core role in the founding of our seal disentanglement programme,” the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation said.
A full circle moment for the retiree and his team, Vincent’s efforts remind us that for so many of our marine and wildlife heroes, their jobs are far more than just jobs. Instead, they’re a core part of who these people are and an essential part of what makes our world a better place.
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