The George Municipality together with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment DFFE and the Stranding Marine Animal Rescue Team SMART, has issued a public safety notice for Victoria Bay beachgoers.
An immature male southern elephant seal, nicknamed Columbo, has been resting at Victoria Bay since 3 June. Officials have requested that members of the public keep a safe distance to avoid harm to the animal and to themselves.
Columbo is around four to five years old and weighs approximately 500 kilograms. He is identifiable by a white mark on his left eye and a green flipper tag labelled "0196".
He was first recorded on the South African coastline near Pinnacle Point, Mossel Bay, in November 2023. Since then, he has visited Victoria Bay on three occasions. His current stay is the longest to date.
During this period, Columbo has been observed engaging in mock fighting behaviour with rocks. This has caused visible wear to his teeth and has led to the formation of a thickened skin patch on his chest.