Wandering elephant seal brings traffic to a standstill Gordon's Bay

UPDATE: Wandering elephant seal safely rescued

An elephant seal found more than a kilometre inland on the streets of Gordon's Bay has been safely rescued and returned to the ocean. 

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA received the alert earlier this morning, as viral clips of the stranded animal began circulating on social media. 

Belinda Abraham, spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, confirmed that it took nine hours to rescue and safely release the animal back into the ocean.

Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), the largest seal species on Earth, are typically found in sub-Antarctic regions. While young males occasionally haul out along the South African coast during moulting or rest periods, an appearance in a residential area is extremely unusual. 

Wandering elephant seal brings traffic to a standstill Gordon's Bay

The harbour town of Gordon’s Bay is well-loved for its quaint beaches and decent seaside fish and chips offerings - and certainly not rogue elephant seals wandering the street in the early morning traffic.  

SPCA officials confirmed the rather unexpected visitor had made its way on Sir Lowry’s Pass Road, causing quite a commotion in the residential area.

Calls have been made to avoid the area as attempts to relocate the wandering seal were underway. 

“We’re actively working on a safe and stress-free plan to relocate this magnificent marine mammal,” the organisation said in a statement shared on its Instagram page. 

“Please avoid the area to help us give the seal the space and calm it needs while we carry out the rescue.”