Buffel on Buffels Bay Beach, Cape Point.
Southern elephant seal finds a beach to moult.
Buffel, the famous Cape Townian southern elephant seal, has chosen Buffels Bay beach to moult this year. I would too if a beach was named after me!
On the 7th February 2020, Buffel tried to come ashore on the rocks at Sandy Bay, but returned to sea. On the 13th Feb he climbed out the water onto the slipway at Buffels Bay, Cape Point, and quickly settled on the beach to moult.
Buffel on the rocks near Sandy Bay. Photographer: Unknown
Buffel in Cape Point at the start of his moult. Image: Steven Benjamin
Skin peeling from Buffel's face a few days into the moult. Image: Steve Benjamin
After a month of not eating, Buffel is looking slimmer. Image: Steven Benjamin
Buffel is easily recognisable by the scar above his left eye and the yellow tag on his hind flipper. His coat is still fluffy and light in colour but in the next few weeks that will peel off. He will become itchy and irritable, causing his tail to flick sand over his body. Last time he chose Fish Hoek beach to moult on, causing huge crowds to form around him as people didn't know what to make of this massive creature relaxing on the beach (blog). Many thought he was ill. This is normal elephant seal behaviour, it is just not normal to have it happening here in Cape Town.
By the 12th March Buffel was nearing the end of his moult and he left the beach shortly after. Another successful month on the beach for our unusual local.
If you'd like to see Buffel for yourself, join us on Seal Snorkeling trip.
Check out past blog entries about Buffel - Animal Ocean Diary
https://topspin-groenegau.de is where I've seen similar patience with slow natural processes, which fits how Buffel spends a whole month fasting and peeling before he's done. What stood out was the detail about him flicking sand over himself with his tail once the itching sets in, since that's such a specific behavioral quirk you'd never guess from just seeing a seal lying on a beach. Living near the coast, I've noticed how quickly people panic when a wild animal behaves unusually, when often it's just biology running its course.