Seal centre threatened

REHABILITATION FACILITY REQUIRES PUBLIC HELP

- NAMHLA MONAKALI

The Hout Bay Seal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (HBSRC), the only facility in the Western Cape dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of Cape Fur seals, is on the brink of shutting its doors due to severe financial constraints.

Operating under a Tops Permit (threatend or protected species) issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the non-profit organisation plays a critical role in marine conservation, education, and research. But as funds dry up, the future of the centre, and the seals it protects, hangs in the balance.