Seal Island

Seal Island, South Africa

Cape fur seals, or brown fur seals, are often seen swimming and sunbathing around the shores of Cape Town. The best places to see them near the city are at the docks at the V&A Waterfront, the fish market at Kalk Bay, and on Duiker Island (just outside Hout Bay Harbor). A large concentration of Cape Fur Seals can be spotted on aptly named Seal Island, a granite outcropping in False Bay. When you see those fantastic photos of great white sharks leaping out of the water with a seal in peril, it’s a moment that was likely captured in this area. Fascinating research has been done regarding a seal’s odds of survival when swimming from Seal Island to the shore given the swimming path they take. Seals that swim towards the murky depths of the ocean have been found to have a higher chance of making the crossing unharmed. Family members who swim up above are easy targets for predators like the great white shark.

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Cape Fur Seals

Cape fur seals, or brown fur seals, are often seen swimming and sunbathing around the shores of Cape Town. The best places to see them near the city are at the docks at the V&A Waterfront, the fish market at Kalk Bay, and on Duiker Island (just outside Hout Bay Harbor). A large concentration of Cape Fur Seals can be spotted on aptly named Seal Island, a granite outcropping in False Bay. When you see those fantastic photos of great white sharks leaping out of the water with a seal in peril, it’s a moment that was likely captured in this area. Fascinating research has been done regarding a seal’s odds of survival when swimming from Seal Island to the shore given the swimming path they take. Seals that swim towards the murky depths of the ocean have been found to have a higher chance of making the crossing unharmed. Family members who swim up above are easy targets for predators like the great white shark.

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