Hey guys, welcome back!
Time to go a little bit off topic to acknowledge an amazing wild animal who in my very biased opinion is the most adorable elephant seal in the entire world…
His name is Buffel and he has been the talk of Cape Town ever since he decided to make the sands of Fish Hoek Beach (and the hearts of many residents) his temporary home.
It’s moulting season!
Buffel is going through his annual moulting process and has been at Fish Hoek beach since late January 2019. Residents, especially dog owners have been asked to keep their distance around him and to respect his space during his stay. He doesn’t mind the onlookers though and seems perfectly at ease sharing the beach with us fellow humans.
Moulting is a process whereby elephant seals begin to shed all their fur. They do not require any food during this period and will stay on the beach until they have completely shed their outer layer. This usually takes around a month which means buffel will soon be back on his way.
Fun Facts about Elephant Seals:
They are earless.
They were nearly extinct in the 19th century due to hunting, thankfully their numbers have recovered.
Southern Elephant seals are larger than Northern Elephant seals.
They breed annually.
They have reduced limbs which helps them move around more easily in the water.
Buffel Image Gallery:
Buffel the Elephant Seal enjoying the sun on Fish Hoek Beach 
Buffel at complete ease surrounded by onlookers
We will miss you when you leave…
Thank you Buffel for gracing us with your presence, we hope to see you again next year!
The Petpaw Team