Two suspects have been arrested for the alleged unlawful feeding and harassment of Cape fur seals in Hout Bay, Cape Town.
The arrests took place on Friday, 23 October 2026, at Hout Bay Harbour.
SPCA SWOOPS IN
According to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, the arrests were precipitated by “ongoing complaints about activities that bring visitors, including children, into dangerously close contact with wild seals in exchange for paid photographs.”
Additionally, the suspects allegedly displayed “aggression or hostility” when visitors declined to pay a fee after the photographs were taken.
The SPCA worked alongside the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Animal Control Unit and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to take the two suspects into custody.
SEALS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Cape fur seals reside on South Africa’s western coastline. They live in tight-knit colonies that span hundreds, and they tend to be calm and non-aggressive when encountering humans.
Nevertheless, members of the public are strongly discouraged from feeding or interacting with seals. This is especially if the seals feel threatened or are injured or infected by rabies.
Seals are also protected under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act and the Threatened or Protected Marine Species Regulations. As such, you are prohibited from feeding, physically interacting with or harassing seals. Failure to adhere to these laws constitutes criminal offences.
“Visitors are urged to watch seals from a safe distance, give them space to move freely, and decline encounters that involve food, touching or close posing,” the SPCA says. “Please report concerns to the SPCA or Law Enforcement rather than confronting those involved.
“The SPCA and its enforcement partners will continue spot checks and undercover operations at the harbour to gather evidence and take action where offences are detected. Hout Bay’s seals deserve to remain wild, and everyone visiting the harbour deserves to be safe.”
SEAL FEEDERS CONVICTED
In related news, two men were convicted and sentenced back in May for the unlawful feeding and exploitation of Cape fur seals. They would do so also at Hout Bay Harbour.
They each received a sentence of an R80 000 fine or 24 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, provided that they are not convicted of a similar offence during that period.
What are your thoughts about this latest arrest and the ongoing exploitation of Cape fur seals? Let us know in the comments below!