The young skipper spotted a Cape fur seal in trouble and acted immediately!
Cape Town, South Africa (21 October 2025) – It all started when a young man named Tobelani, skipper of a V&A Waterfront sweeper boat, noticed a seal in distress near the Robben Island Ferry jetty, tangled up in debris.
Instead of trying to intervene himself, he did the smartest thing and immediately called in the experts. The Two Oceans Aquarium’s Marine Wildlife Management team has years of experience handling situations like this, and Tobelani’s quick-thinking meant they could get to the scene quickly enough to help.
That did not mean he left things there, though. The young man was determined to see the rescue of the Cape fur seal through to the end.
Joined by the Two Ocean Aquarium’s wildlife monitor Elviro, Tobelani helped track down the struggling animal and within minutes, they managed to cut away the entanglement and set the seal free.
Entanglement is one of the biggest threats facing seals, whales, and other marine life. Rope, fishing line, or discarded plastic can cut deep into their skin, restrict their movement, and, if left untreated, often leads to infection, starvation, or even drowning.
These harsh outcomes can be prevented when we keep our eyes sharp and expert emergency contacts close.
And this time, it all came down to teamwork and a skipper that made sure to see it through. Fifteen minutes out of their day, and a wild life was saved.
It costs nothing to pay attention, and it’s worth everything when you care enough to act!
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Good to see good people are still around.❤