Seal rabies: Research and Surveillance

Help Us Fight a Deadly Outbreak in Cape Fur Seals

Since 2021, the Sea Search team has been at the forefront of investigating unusual mortality events in Cape fur seals along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. Working with minimal funding but driven by an unwavering commitment to marine conservation, we have uncovered alarming new threats to both wildlife and public safety.

In 2022, reports of aggressive seal attacks in Cape Town raised concerns, and in June 2024, our fears were confirmed—the first rabies-positive case was identified from our samples. Further investigations revealed that the virus has been present in seal populations since at least 2022. To date, 61 rabies-positive cases have been confirmed along the coastline from False Bay to Plettenberg Bay. Shockingly, our surveys indicate that 1 in 5 beach-washed carcasses tested positive for rabies  last year.

This is the first recorded outbreak of rabies in marine mammals worldwide, with over 2 million Cape fur seals at risk. The situation is evolving rapidly, presenting unprecede...