The genetic makeup of the rabies virus found in the seals matched the rabies in the jackals. The study also showed that rabies is being transmitted between seals through bites because most of the virus sequences are closely related.
Cape fur seals live near people in South Africa, especially on beaches around the city of Cape Town.
The discovery of rabies explains why there have been so many reports over the past three years of excessively aggressive seals and an increased number of seal attacks on people.
So far, no human cases of rabies have been recorded. Still, the seal attacks have prompted city authorities to start a vaccination program for seals.
According to Greg Oelofse, Cape Town’s head of coastal and environmental management, the city has issued warnings to locals.
One of the positive rabies tests was on a seal carcass that was collected in August 2022, which means that rabies has been present in the seal population for at least two years.
Seals at two popular Cape Town harbors have begun receiving vaccinations, so hopefully, the rabies can be contained.
