When we talk about "seals" here in South Africa, we mean one specific animal - the Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus), the only seal species that is truly native to the South African mainland. This species is the one you'll see in our harbours, at tourist destinations and diving sites.
South African seals eat mostly fish, while the Australian seals prey mostly on squid.
Cape fur seals are not "true seals". Officially known as "eared seals" or "otariids", fur seals differ from true seals in that their ears have external flaps, they have large fore flippers, and their hind flippers are not connected to the pelvis and can be rotated forward. These adaptations give eared seals the ability to walk and gallop on land, hear the direction of sound in air, and swim and manoeuvre much more powerfully than true seals.
Unfortunately, a common misconception among fishermen is that seals are competition for fish and are a "pest". In reality, fish numbers are declining due to human actions, and seals are simply encountering humans more often in their search for food - often the offal that the fishermen themselves discard. This misconception is used to justify the intentional killing of seals, such as the Namibian seal hunts and local incidents, such as the regular illegal shooting and gaffing of seals around Cape Town.
While they tend to favour fish, worms, molluscs, eggs and smaller birds, Cape Gulls (Larus Vetula) may also prey on small livestock, such as sheep and calves.
The Cape Gull tends to stick to coastal areas and have black upperparts with white underparts, heads, necks and tails. The top of the wings, have white spots on the tip of the primaries, while the underparts are white with black near the ends.
They often get together at popular feeding spots, but have also been known to attack prey en mass, usually first going for the eyes of their prey. Their feeding pattern is similar to that of crows, with an attacked carcass usually being opened at the eyes, mouth, umbilicus or ****.
South African seals eat mostly fish, while the Australian seals prey mostly on squid.
Cape fur seals are not "true seals". Officially known as "eared seals" or "otariids", fur seals differ from true seals in that their ears have external flaps, they have large fore flippers, and their hind flippers are not connected to the pelvis and can be rotated forward. These adaptations give eared seals the ability to walk and gallop on land, hear the direction of sound in air, and swim and manoeuvre much more powerfully than true seals.
Unfortunately, a common misconception among fishermen is that seals are competition for fish and are a "pest". In reality, fish numbers are declining due to human actions, and seals are simply encountering humans more often in their search for food - often the offal that the fishermen themselves discard. This misconception is used to justify the intentional killing of seals, such as the Namibian seal hunts and local incidents, such as the regular illegal shooting and gaffing of seals around Cape Town.
While they tend to favour fish, worms, molluscs, eggs and smaller birds, Cape Gulls (Larus Vetula) may also prey on small livestock, such as sheep and calves.
The Cape Gull tends to stick to coastal areas and have black upperparts with white underparts, heads, necks and tails. The top of the wings, have white spots on the tip of the primaries, while the underparts are white with black near the ends.
They often get together at popular feeding spots, but have also been known to attack prey en mass, usually first going for the eyes of their prey. Their feeding pattern is similar to that of crows, with an attacked carcass usually being opened at the eyes, mouth, umbilicus or ****.
