Update: Rocky the seal is one strong pup!
Do you remember the adorable seal who washed up on Rocky Bay Beach last year? Well, we've got an update.
Rocky the seal is making waves in the best way possible.
After spending five months recovering at uShaka Sea World’s rehabilitation unit for stranded and injured marine animals, this young southern elephant seal is back in the ocean and thriving.
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Since his release at the beginning of March, Rocky has already swum more than 2,400km.
According to the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), Rocky is averaging 120km per day, which puts him firmly in the “professional athlete” category.
South Coast Herald reports that he’s not just swimming for the fun of it either. Using ocean currents to his advantage, Rocky is proving to be both a strong swimmer and a clever navigator.
Experts believe he’s heading toward the Southern Ocean islands, a natural destination for elephant seals. This journey full of open waters and chilly adventures is an important part of his wild seal life, and he’s tackling it like a pro.
Rocky’s transformation from an injured stranded pup to a confident ocean explorer is a heartwarming reminder of the power of rehabilitation and the importance of marine conservation.
In October last year, ECR reported that a rare and absolutely adorable visitor swam ashore at Rocky Bay Beach on KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast. It was a robust (and cute) juvenile southern elephant seal, aptly named Rocky.
His arrival delighted beachgoers, as these seals are usually found around 2,000km away from this region.
"As soon as we knew that the seal was a male we named him Rocky after the beach where he was initially found and superhero Rocky Balboa," Ann Kunz from SAAMBR told East Coast Radio.
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Images supplied by Ann Kunz
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