Cape Town crowned its seal heroes over the weekend when a troubling scenario unfolded at a dry dock at the V&A Waterfront.
Cape Town, South Africa (28 September 2026) – Three Cape fur seals found themselves in a pickle after becoming trapped inside the Robinson Dry Dock. They needed rescuing.
The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Marine Wildlife team responded, in a flash, with their nets and specialised gear ready to go.
After sussing out the situation, a plan was made – they’d rescue one seal at a time.
“To minimise stress for both the seals and the team, the decision was made to rescue one seal at a time. Working quickly and carefully, the team secured the first seal in a specialised net, carrying them up the stairs, and safely releasing the seal near our seal platform.” TOA Foundation shared.
Capturing and then carrying a heavy seal up a series of stairs is not as easy as it looks, but the team pushed through. It took a small village – one was ushered away from the dry dock by a team of five strong – but eventually, all three were rescued and released back into safe waters. All in a day’s work!
“A huge well done to our incredible Marine Wildlife Team and thank you to everyone who stepped in to assist with the releases. Teamwork made this rescue possible!” it added
Cape fur seals are like furniture along the Cape coast, and every now and then, one may turn up somewhere it should not be or appear to be in distress. If you do come across a seal that seems to need help, never try to approach, move or rescue it yourself. Rather keep a safe distance and contact wildlife experts such as the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation or CapeNature, who are trained to assess the situation and step in safely where needed.
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