Wildlife is thriving off the coast of Simon’s Town during the lockdown, and life’s a beach for these locals.
Western Cape, South Africa (20 May 2020) – Wildlife is thriving off the coast of Simon’s Town during the lockdown.
Simon’s Town, sometimes spelt Simonstown, is a town which is administratively a South Peninsula suburb of Cape Town and is home to the South African Navy’s Naval Base. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been a naval base and harbour (first for the British Royal Navy and now the South African Navy).
The seal was first sighted yesterday, so it appears it has been resting in this location and has likely come ashore to moult which could take up to a month. It is not certain whether this was a juvenile male or female as adult male Southern Elephant Seals develop a ‘trunk’ at roughly four years maturity.
What is certain, though, is that this seal felt free just to be and didn’t mind getting its picture taken while doing so.
The City’s Coastal Management team has also recently followed and photographed the two famous Orcas known as Port and Starboard in Simon’s Town’s waters. Furthermore, they have recorded several sightings of Cape Clawless Otter during the lockdown period, as well as large caracal which has been frequenting this coastal suburb.
A number of other mammals are found in the Simon’s Town bay, the most common being the Southern Right; Humpbacked and Brydes whale, as well as the Bottle Nosed; Common; Humpbacked and Dusky dolphin.
The City’s Coastal Management Department continues to monitor our coastal wildlife during the lockdown.
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