Cape fur seals form large colonies along the Namibian and South African coastline, and the colony at Pelican Point is one of the biggest on this stretch of coast.
Behaviour and diet
Cape fur seals feed mainly on fish, squid, and other marine life drawn to this coast by the nutrient-rich Benguela Current. They’re strong, agile swimmers and naturally curious around boats and kayaks, often approaching close enough for a clear view without any need to search them out. On land, or rather on sand, they’re considerably less graceful, moving in an awkward shuffle that makes the transformation once they hit the water even more striking.
Breeding and colony life
Colonies like the one at Pelican Point are busy, noisy places, especially during the breeding season in early summer when pups are born. Outside of that period, the colony still functions as a constant social hub: seals resting, playing in the surf, and porpoising through the shallows.
Telling them apart from other seals
Cape fur seals are actually a species of fur seal rather than a true seal, distinguished by visible external ears and the ability to rotate their rear flippers underneath their body, letting them move more capably on land than true seals can.
Frequently asked questions
What do Cape fur seals eat?
Mainly fish and squid, taking advantage of the abundant marine life supported by the cold, nutrient-rich Benguela Current along this coast.
Are Cape fur seals endangered?
No: the species is not currently considered threatened, and colonies like the one at Pelican Point remain large and stable.
Best seen by boat or, for a closer encounter, by kayak.
Ready to book?
Three decades of catamaran cruises on the bay, kayaking among the seals at Pelican Point and 4x4 trips through the dunes to Sandwich Harbour, under the wide-open Namib sky, with a Walvis Bay crew who know every tide and wind on this coast.