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Rabid seals in South Africa are attacking multitude in the first known major outbreak of the disease among marine mammalian .
Elevensealshave so far tested confirming for madness in Cape Town . The fauna are unremarkably playful toward humans , but the outbreak is lead SEAL to act strangely and sharply , alarming surfers and beachgoers , experts say .
South African fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) have been attacking surfers and beachgoers in Cape Town, South Africa.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease in the first place transmitted through saliva that affects the central flighty organisation . symptom include fever , pain in the neck and tingle , pricking or sting whiz at the wound land site , according to theWorld Health Organization . Unless medical attention is given immediately after exposure , the virus spread out to the primal nervous system and lead to disastrous inflammation of the learning ability and spinal cord . Symptoms can take anywhere between a hebdomad and two old age to appear , but theyusually occur one to three monthsafter exposure .
The last recorded case of a stamp contracting the disease was in 1980 in Norway ’s Svalbard island , The Guardian reportedJuly 11 . The new surge in cases is thought to be the world ’s first significant outbreak of lyssa in marine mammals , but it ’s unclear how the disease entered the seal universe .
South African fur seal ( Arctocephalus pusillus ) began conduct strangely a few yr ago , Gregg Oelofse , the coastal handler for the City of Cape Town , told The Guardian . A spike in reported seal onrush in late 2021 suggest the creature were acting more aggressively than usual toward humans , he said .
In May, a seal bit at least three surfers at Muizenberg beach.
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Together with scientists and creature welfare experts , Oelofse and his squad captured and tested a few animal through 2022 to watch the cause of this sudden hostility . But kick in there was only one previous known case of rabies in seals , the team did not quiz for the disease , so they were provide stumped .
The answer only came in the beginning this year , when a stamp bit at least three surfers in a issue of minute in the weewee off Muizenberg beach , 12 Roman mile ( 19 kilometre ) in the south of Cape Town ’s metropolis center . " This little sealing wax came up at me at gamy speed , " one of the surfers said in avideo place on Facebookin May . " It lurched onto my back and bit a hole into my wetsuit over here and kind of bit me on the back end . "
The stamp then latch onto the man ’s surfboard and started biting it , the surfer said . " Eventually it allow go , but then it preserve coming back at me all the time , " he said .
Around the same time , a sealing wax was also seen swimming ashore with bloody trauma on its case likely inflicted by another extremely aggressive seal , harmonize to The Guardian . Together with the attack at Muizenberg beach , this move authorities to euthanize four seals and quiz them for rabies .
Tests showed that three of the four seals were infect with rabies , and the figure of report cases has since grown to 11 along Cape Town ’s 190 - mile - long ( 300 km ) coastline , CNN reportedJuly 12 .
Despite daily contact between seals and surfboarder , the disease seems to have remain in the seal population . " We think quite a few mass have been prick by rabid seals , but luckily no human has got infected yet , " Oelofse told The Guardian . The reason for this is unknown , he said .
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natator and surfers are nevertheless advised to exercise extreme caution and to seek immediate aesculapian care if a sealing wax bite them .
Surfers used to enjoy interacting with seals , which arecurious and playful creatures . " But now everyone was paddling as fast as they could to get away , " Oelofse sound out . While mass should avoid seal that are behaving strangely or showing signs of hostility , there is no reason to fear animals that seem relaxed , he tot up .
Scientists are now sequence the hydrophobia virus to pinpoint where and when it entered the seal of approval population and to determine how far it has spread . South African fur seals form dense colonies , mean the disease could become endemic and finally spread to other mammals , such as African clawless otter ( Aonyx capensis ) , The Guardian report .
