Rescued seal shares some secrets
Researchers have attached a tracking device to Selso, a southern elephant seal, who has made a full recovery after being washed up on Southbroom Beach in Hibiscus Coast last year. Since his release he has provided the researchers with invalueable data.
SELSO, a young southern elephant seal (Miroungaleonina) that washed up at the Southbroom Beach in Hibiscus Coast in June last year has made an astounding journey to a colony site at Marion Island.
When the two-year-old adolescent seal washed up on the beach he was extremely exhausted, starved and underweight. At 73kg, less than half of what a healthy seal his age should weigh, he was taken to the uShaka Sea World rehabilitation centre for recovery. Prior to his release Selso had to reach a healthy weight, which meant that he had to gain 110kg. This feat took a gruelling seven months.
The hard work and dedication of the uShaka staff finally paid off on Thursday, 9 January, when Selso was boarded onto the MSC Sinfonia cruise ship and released on the Saturday, 25nautical miles due south of Port Elizabeth.
Before his release the brave pup was fitted with a satellite tracking device, which would record his movements for up to one year.
Ann Kuns, uShaka Sea World spokesperson said that the tracker would safely fall off when Selso molted.
“Southern elephant seals molt once a year, and then the device will simply fall off. It is the first time that these seals have ever been tracked, so we are gaining valuable data,” said Kuns.
After his release Selso travelled southwards and covered a staggering 8 000km in less than six months. In June he began travelling north, and on Monday, 30 June Selso reached Marion Island. Researchers eventually found him on the south side of the island, where he was relaxing amongst the boulders.
Marion Island, which is 2 200km south of South Africa is the closest seal island colony site, and therefore it was rather unusual to spot a southern elephant seal at the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
