Page 307 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

Conservation status: A private reserve on the mainland
adjacent to Grotto Bay Seal Rocks limits access to the
area. However, the area is known for fishing and poaching
activity.
Harvesting status: This colony was established in the
post-harvesting period in South Africa.

19. Robbesteen
Coordinates: 33.640 S; 18.401 E
Status: Breeding
Description: This is a rocky island situated c. 5 km north
of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station off the suburb of
Melkbos. The island is also known as Seal Ledges. Seal
harvesting there was not extensive owing to lack of anchor-
age for sealers (Rand 1972, Shaughnessy 1987). Most of
the rocks are submerged except for two on which seals An oblique view of the V&A Waterfront Seal Platform
(photo Brett Glasby, TOA)
breed. At about 2 m above water, it is likely that storms and
rough seas would wash pups off the rocks onto the adja- be disentangled. The size of the platform was increased to
cent beach, which borders the Koeberg Nature Reserve. 8 x 12 m in 2019. Monitoring by the TOA indicates that up
Washed-up carcasses therefore go largely unnoticed. An to 250 seals can be found on the platform in the late aus-
average of 1,861 pups were counted on four surveys con- tral summer. However, their numbers drastically reduce to
ducted between 2011 and 2020. about 50 animals in winter. No pups have been born on the
Conservation status: The island was declared a Provin- platforms. In 2021, four females gave birth and abandoned
cial Nature Reserve in terms of Section 6 of the Nature their pups within the V&A Waterfront, including at Bertie’s
Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (Official Gazette 4524, Landing but these were put down. Human traffic and dis-
1988). It is managed by Cape Nature with access restricted entanglement activities at the platform will discourage any
to research activities under a permit. prospects of successful breeding.
Harvesting status: Harvesting ceased in 1978 (Wickens Conservation status: The colony is situated within the
et al. 1991). V&A Waterfront with access controlled by the TOA.
Eco-tourism: Seals are viewed by visitors to the TOA and
20. Robben Island from tour boats.
Coordinates: 33.796 S, 18.371 E Harvesting status: This colony was established in the
Description: Robben Island, 507 ha in extent, is the larg- post-harvesting period in South Africa.
est island in the Benguela upwelling ecosystem and was a
former breeding locality for Cape Fur Seals, which may still 22. Strawberry Rocks
haul out at the island. Coordinates: 33.978 S; 18.360 E
Status: An extinct breeding locality Status: Non-breeding
Conservation status: Robben Island was declared a Description: This site consists of a series of mostly sub-
National Historical Monument in 1995 and is managed by merged rocks situated off Sandy Cove in north Oudekraal
Robben Island Museum. on the Atlantic seaboard. Seals haul-out on two unsub-
merged rocks. During low tide, more rocks are visible, and
21. V&A Waterfront Seal Platform seals can be seen spread amongst the rocks. Divers have
Coordinates: 33.903 S; 18.418 E seen seals at this locality since 2007. The colony became
Status: Non-breeding prominent from 2009 when entangled seals at and in the
Description: This site is a man-made platform situated vicinity of the rocks were frequently reported. There are be-
opposite the Two Oceans Aquarium (TOA) in Cape Town. tween 50 and 150 seals that utilise the rock. It is possible
The platform was built around 2012 as an alternative site that these seals are part of a breeding colony on Duiker
for seals that formerly rested on yachts and jetties and, in Island. No pups have ever been recorded. No survey has
some instances, caused damage to property and harm to been conducted and the number of seals utilising the rocks
humans. The V&A Waterfront is monitored for entangle- was sourced from dive operators.
ments of seals in discarded debris by DFFE and TOA. It Conservation status: The colony is situated within the
provides easy access to entangled seals, allowing them to Table Mountain National Park that is managed by South
African National Parks in terms of Sections 39 and 41 of
the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas
Act (Act 57 of 2003).
Eco-tourism: Unregulated swim-with or snorkel-with seal
tours are conducted at the colony (Heidi 2020).
Harvesting status: This colony was established in the
post-harvesting period in South Africa.
23. Duikerklip
Coordinates: 34.055 S; 18.318 E
Status: Breeding
Description: Duikerklip comprises three separate rocks
An aerial view of a section of the Robbesteen seal colony situated to the north of Hout Bay, which has a fishing com-

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