2023-10-19 16:25:58
South Africa
Harassed sea lion bites woman and dies of… stress
The pinniped, which was resting on a beach in Cape Town, was constantly disturbed by swimmers and selfie hunters. Captured to be moved, he died during transport.
PublishedOctober 19, 2023, 6:25 p.m.
Cape Town City Hall says it is outraged by the repeated harassment of a sea lion on Strand Beach which led to the animal’s death.
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The sea lion had been trying to rest for several days on a South African beach but bathers kept “harassing” it: it ended up biting a woman before dying of stress following a veterinary transport, the city of Cap.
The Municipality, in an angry press release, warns swimmers to leave the native southern African sea lions alone because “harassment can have serious consequences”.
Joining forces with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the city says it is “outraged” by the “repeated harassment” of a sea lion on Strand Beach, “which resulted in the attack of a visitor by the sea lion and the latter’s regrettable death.
Disturbing coastal wildlife is illegal, reminds town hall
On this long, busy, fine sand beach, regarding fifty kilometers east of Cape Town, the animal was “simply trying to rest on the beach, which is normal and expected behavior of sea lions on our coastline”. But the swimmers threw sticks and stones at him, “dogs attacked him” and many “teased him so they might take images of the sea lion chasing them,” explains deputy mayor Eddie Andrews, recalling that It is illegal to disturb coastal wildlife and calling on the public to “keep your distance”.
On Wednesday evening, the sea lion bit a woman who arrived on the beach and did not spot the animal as the sun set. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The beach was partially closed Thursday morning, to capture the mustachioed animal and take it to a nearby aquarium to check its health before releasing it in a less crowded and safe place. But “unfortunately the sea lion died due to the excessive stress it suffered.”
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