Home
Forgot your password?
Selso's story
|
|
SAEON and the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Project (ACEP) assisted with the release of a very special seal earlier this year.
The story of Selso the elephant seal started in mid-2013 when he came ashore at Southbroom on the KwaZulu-Natal coast. This is far from the normal range of elephant seals, which is the Southern Ocean.
At only 73 kg in weight, he was close to death from starvation when he was rescued by Colette Bodenstaff and others from the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), incorporating uShaka Sea World in Durban. He was cared for by the animal health team at uShaka Sea World over the next six months, more than doubling his weight during that time.
Then in early January 2014, after reaching a target weight of 180 kg, he was ready for release.
Judy Mann of SAAMBR took the lead in assembling a team representing various organisations and considerable scientific and animal welfare expertise to ensure that Selso’s release would be well managed. A few days prior to his departure, I attached a satellite tag to him, provided by uShaka Sea World.
Mike Meÿer of Oceans and Coasts of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) agreed to cover the expense of the extensive satellite time. This allows Selso’s movements at sea to be followed. The data generated are analysed by Nico de Bruyn and his team of the Mammal Research Institute (MRI) at the University of Pretoria and by Steve Kirkman of DEA.
The importance of this work is that it informs us not only about the biology of elephant seals in general, but would also let us know whether Selso survived. The latter is vital in assisting with decisions and procedures for rehabilitating elephant seals that come ashore on South Africa’s beaches.
Selso’s remarkable journey
Two days after his tag was attached, Selso found himself on a cruise vessel. The managers of the MSC Sinfonia had kindly agreed to give a free berth to this unusual passenger. Joining him were staff from SAAMBR and DEA to ensure that Selso and his satellite tag would be well looked after until his release. And indeed, they were.
Some 60 km offshore of Port Elizabeth, where the waters of the Agulhas Current turn south, the ship came to a halt. This location was chosen so that Selso would be swept south, to his home latitudes, by this strong current. After an exciting release, watched by enthusiastic passengers and crew, Selso was in the water, and ready for the next stage of his journey.
Over the next 10 months, Mike Meÿer shared Selso's satellite transmitted story with us. And a remarkable story it was. He first swam south, eventually reaching the waters surrounding Antarctica some 4 000 km away. He did not spend long in the pack-ice before heading north again.
At the end of June 2014, he arrived at South Africa’s subantarctic possession, Marion Island, where he hauled out on a rocky beach at Bullard Bay. During this time, Louw de Vries, an MRI researcher based on the island photographed Selso and reported that, although he was a little bit thinner, he was apparently healthy.
But Selso was not one to lie around. After a mere two days he was swimming again, heading north once more. Reaching South African waters he decided to patrol the edge of the continental shelf. Maybe he had found a feeding ground. But would he come ashore?
Hello again
On a Saturday afternoon in November last year, I received a call to say that there was a seal on the beach at Cape Recife, just outside of Port Elizabeth. Matthijs Ravensberg, a bird watcher braving a near gale and raging sandstorm, had seen an unusual animal on the beach.
Going out to investigate, I did not expect to find the particular seal who was awaiting me. But there on the beach, 10 months after I had said goodbye to him, was Selso the elephant seal, with the satellite tag still attached to him. He had carried it safely all this time.
Selso had, however, begun his annual moult. Since the tag was glued to his coat, he would soon lose it. In fact, had he come ashore a few days later it may well have fallen off and this expensive instrument would have drifted to the bottom of the ocean. Selso had unintentionally delivered it back to our shores before this could happen. And just five minutes down the road from the Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld, where I work.
Selso was sleeping peacefully on the beach. The satellite tag was loose and I managed to remove it with ease and relatively little disturbance to our famous seal. Despite being alarmed by my activities, he soon settled down to sleep the storm and his moult away.
Unfortunately for Selso, the weather improved dramatically the next Monday, leading to a substantial increase in the number of visitors to Cape Recife. It was only a matter of time before he would be unintentionally disturbed, and possibly injured or chased away.
So Selso was quietly captured and was soon sleeping in a safe pen at Bayworld where Cherie Lawrence and her professional and sympathetic team from the Oceanarium looked after him for the next three months. To ensure that he would be in good condition on his next departure, he was well fed during this time, with SAAMBR footing his not insignificant food bill.
The next chapter
In February Selso was judged fit, fat, healthy and ready for release. And ready to start a new chapter of his fascinating voyage. Colette Bodenstaff of SAAMBR, who had invested so much in his initial rehabilitation, flew in to assist with his release.
All procedures went according to plan. While still at Bayworld, Selso was immobilised so that a satellite tag could be attached and various samples collected.
On his recovery, Selso was slowly tempted into a large crate with a few pieces of fish. He was then swiftly loaded onto a bakkie and taken to the harbour where he was loaded onto the RV Ukwabelana, captained by Koos Smith. The boat was kindly provided free of charge by Tommy Bornman of SAEON and Ryan Palmer of ACEP.
Two and a half hours later we reached his release site, some 60 km offshore. In the cold and deep blue sea of the Agulhas Current, with albatrosses and petrels flying around, we released him. He was a little nervous about taking the plunge, but a bit of gentle encouragement saw him on the gangway of the Ukwabelana, and then, with a look of surprise, he plopped overboard. We wished him all the best for his future travels.
Heading south again
Selso did not surprise us, and headed south once more. Mike Meÿer kept us updated on his movements. After reaching approximately 50° South, Selso looped around and headed north again.
He bypassed Marion Island very closely before his track changed direction. This time he headed directly for Marion Island’s neighbour, Prince Edward Island, where he hauled out at Cave Bay in May this year.
Unfortunately no researchers are based on Prince Edward Island, so no one could investigate and see if Selso was still in good condition. But worse was to follow. After five days on the island, Mike informed us that the satellite tag had stopped transmitting. Had Selso lost his tag? Would we ever hear from him again? And was he still alive?
Our questions were soon answered. In July this year, Michael Mole of the MRI was doing field work on seals at the appropriately named Sea Elephant Bay on Marion Island. There he found, on the beach, an elephant seal with an unusual flipper tag. And a satellite tag! Selso was back on land.
A glance at the device showed possible damage to the battery, which would explain the lack of updates. Selso’s visit to Marion Island was very brief, however, and within days he was back in his element - the cold and deep waters of the Southern Ocean.
Selso's story doesn't end there
On November 4, John Dickens and Benoit Morkel of the MRI were surprised to meet our famous seal yet again on Marion Island, at a beach known as Sealer's East. This visit was good news, in more than one way. Best of all, Selso was definitely not on the thin side this time. Positively obese, he was looking particularly healthy for an elephant seal. This indicates that he knows where to find his own food now.
|
In addition, his satellite tag was still attached. Since he had hauled out for the moult and could potentially lose the tag, John and Benoit returned as soon as possible to immobilise Selso and remove his very expensive device.
And the final item of good news - he had now chosen to moult on Marion Island, rather than returning to South Africa for a third visit. We hope this means that he will now treat the roaring forties and furious fifties as his home, which all southern elephant seals should do, rather than travelling further north.
John and Benoit report that Selso was soon on his way again. Having shared his incredible journey with us thus far, we are positive that we will hear from this particular seal again.
We would like to thank all the individuals and organisations that have made his incredible story possible.
