Saving Seals is the topic. The Two Oceans Aquarium will be hosting a special speaker evening and panel discussion on 25 November focusing on seal rescues in the V&A Waterfront and the Port of Cape Town. The event will include a special screening of the film “Saving Seals” by local filmmaker Steve Benjamin.
The event is intended to be fun, informative and factual, and will introduce attendees not only to the issues around seal rescues in the Waterfront and the Port of Cape Town, but also to the people who are actively doing the rescues and the disentanglement of seals.
WHAT: Saving Seals , Two Oceans Aquarium
WHEN: : Thursday 25 November 2021 18h30 for 19h00
WHERE: Avenue at the Two Oceans Aquarium, Dock Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001
TICKETS: R250 (includes presentations, film screening and snacks)
BOOKING: Visit – Spaces are limited and booking is essential.
(The event is not suitable for children under the age of 13)
Meet the panel:
Vincent Calder and Claire Taylor of the Two Oceans Aquarium, who for many years have been perfecting new and innovative ways of cutting nooses off entangled seals – whether it is from above the water, or from below the jetties.
Brett Glasby (Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation) coordinates the Marine Wildlife Management Programme at the V&A Waterfront and works with the seals and other wildlife within the Waterfront, on a daily basis.
Steve Benjamin is the filmmaker behind Saving Seals and is from Animal Ocean Seal Snorkeling. He is passionate about these magnificent animals, which inspired him to produce the film.
Dr Tess Gridley is the Principal Scientist and Operations Manager of SeaSearch and all-round marine mammal expert. She will be giving a general overview of seals.
Saving Seals – the film
Saving Seals is a short film made by local wildlife photographer and conservation ambassador Steve Benjamin of Animal Ocean Seal Snorkeling. It focuses on the breakthrough work being done by the Two Oceans Aquarium, the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, V&A Waterfront’s Marine Wildlife Management Programme, the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries & Environment, and international collaborators to develop a protocol to safely tranquilise distressed seals so that they can be helped. Saving Seals explores the history of the seal disentanglement programme at the V&A Waterfront, and the desperate need for this new technology, which is enabling those seals that cannot be helped through other means to finally be reached and disentangled. To watch the trailer of the movie: HERE
Why save seals:
The Two Oceans Aquarium is located on the V&A Waterfront, which is a leisure and commercial property situated in the heart of a working harbour. The Port of Cape Town and the V&A Waterfront see mainly bull Cape fur seals haul out in various areas of the harbour and on jetties in the Waterfront.
Seals are naturally very curious and playful, which sometimes results in them getting into trouble while residing in the working harbour. These animals can get entangled in the discarded litter, fishing line, box bands and even items of clothing. As the seals grow, the entanglements become tighter and tighter around their necks and will eventually cause their deaths if not removed.
And, as the seals find themselves in a working harbour with a constant flow of boating activities and humans, there are also human-animal interactions that require mediation. Added to this, the seals are also, from time to time, easily trapped in the various operating dry docks.
The Two Oceans Aquarium and the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation are not only actively helping these animals in distress, whether entangled or trapped in a dry dock, but are also working with the Waterfront at mitigating areas of seal-human conflict and interaction. This is done through the dedicated team of the rescue programme and the active monitors of the Marine Wildlife Management Programme.
For more information about the seal rescue programme: HERE
For more information about the event, and to book: HERE
See also Cape Town Green Map
PHOTO: The Marine Wildlife Monitoring Team patrol the Waterfront regularly during the day, looking for animals in need of help. (From left to right: Kwanele Mantanga, Ayanda Cimani and Brett Glasby. Credit: Two Oceans Aquarium)
