Namibia: Mass Death of Seal Pups Raises Concerns

THOUSANDS of Cape fur seals have aborted their unborn pups, worrying marine scientists in Namibia and South Africa.

This is according to a statement jointly issued by non-profit organisations the Namibian Dolphin Project and Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN).

Conservationist Naude Dreyer, who works with OCN, was the first to report the sighting of an estimated 5 000 dead pre-term seal pups at the Pelican Point colony near Walvis Bay early this month.

In a Facebook post on 6 October, OCN detailed that while premature births in seals occur every year, this year’s observation was unusual and a great cause for concern.

“Pregnant seals ‘abort’ their fetuses if they don’t have enough food reserves for the upcoming birth. [However], the unusually high number of premature pups gives us great concern.

“Is there a disease? Is there a massive food shortage? Genetic disorders? Pollution or toxins? We don’t know,” OCN said.

OCN said a collaborative team has been assembled to assist in collecting samples and monitoring the situation on the ground.

This team consists of Dreyer, who is leading sample collection in the field; Tess Gridley and Simon Elwen from the Namibia Dolphin Project – both of whom are associated with the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University – and Dr Brett Gardner, a veterinarian from South Africa.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources also has officers on the ground assisting with the collection of samples and overall observation.

Speaking to The Namibian on Monday, Dreyer said as of Monday there were still a lot of new dead seals. However, he said the situation looked better than in previous days as there were fewer premature pups.

“It’s mostly adults and existing pups and not so many fetuses any more,” he said.

Dreyer said no cause or reason for the mass deaths of these seals has yet been established and that it may take a significant amount of time to get conclusive results.

“The vet said this is a very complex process and they needed massive sample sizes. This could mean hundreds of samples. So that is what we’re currently doing,” he said.

Dreyer said the adult female seals are also very thin, so there is speculation that the animals are malnourished.

Gardner, in a statement, said the list of possible causative factors is long and there are many considerations.

He urged authorities in Namibia and South Africa to remain vigilant and monitor their seal populations.

“A certain number of deaths at the colonies is a normal part of the seal life cycle and to be expected. What’s concerning here is the high number of abortions and the synchronised timing.

“The impact of this die- off at the Pelican Point colony, and possibly further afield, may be felt for years to come,” he stated.