From: sasealion@wam.co.za
Date: February 26, 2007
Dear All Cape Fur Seal Supporters,
Mumkin
Takes The Final Swim
into Seal-Hood
Mumkin on the 23 November 2005 (two days before Christmas) was
found fifty percent below his average weight, all alone, wet and
starving to death. Seagulls sensing his end was near started
pecking away at his shiny back pupils, and an abscess had formed in
his left side cheek, as a result. Bart the wildlife photographer
called from the location, a small seal colony 250 km away from Hout
Bay, and was not sure whether to rescue him or leave him. I said
bring - knowing that with this gesture, will go an entire year of
my life and many thousands of rands.
Mumkin arrived, days old, looking very sorry for himself. He was
indeed lucky, for although only a handful of pups are born on this
ancient seal colony (where before they reach the age of three
months - none would have survived), the colony today consists of
dead or dying graveyards of seals. Where archaeological digs
revealed further, that the Khoi-San tribes 10 000 years ago, prized
these pups, as the meat to fat ratio was optimal - whilst living in
a cave directly above. To me, what is of immense importance, is the
genes of this ancient colony, that Mumkin might carry inside
him.
Above
the awash rocks off Hout Bay, its seal colony and on the right the
harbour
Mumkin was brought to Hout Bay Harbour, and on the pier closest to
the ocean (near the middle, that dot off the pier) became his new
floating island home. Thanks to Beauty Without Cruelty and Seal
Supporters from around the world, Mumkin took up residency in his
new floating catamaran and rafts, with two other rescued siblings.
Free to leave at any stage, totally unconfined - Mumkin chose to
stay, and adopted me as his new mom. Where slowly we would teach
each other what he needed to survive.
As Mumkin slowly grew, (sadly the other two siblings were not so
lucky, one that refused to bond (Max) swam out of the harbour into
the open sea on day 103 of his rehab, and the other (Myrna) grew
suddenly weak and died on day 114.
Mumkin at day 153 took his first trip with me to the seal colony
off Hout Bay. In time, he will learn to journey there mostly at
night and return by first light.
Mumkin learning the dangers of the big open sea. From rescue, for
the next year or more, I will diligently tube-feed Mumkin,
beginning at 4 hourly intervals until in the last stages, two or
three feeds a day. Slowly Mumkin will gather the ability and
confidence (mostly at night) to head out deeper and deeper into the
open ocean in search of his food, and slowly but surely he will
practice on his own catching it.
Even as he grew, immediately after his tubing, he would settle down
to suckle his edge of his right flipper (as a replacement for
mothers nipple) for hours on end.
Whilst Mumkin used the rafts, boat and pier as his island. Seal
Alert-SA (thanks to the largest fishing company, Oceania), acquired
its seal premises (found by looking at the short jetty leading off
the long pier, directly opposite the three small boats, tied to the
larger orange one [with two dark squares on roof = Seal Alert-SA
Seal Centre], the small narrow pier running along side the pier) is
to still be developed for seal haul-out and disentanglement.
After 450 days, with not a single day off or break in-between (in
fact, it has been like this for eight years), Mumkin has finally
shown, he has reached self surviving seal-hood. (Sadly
Namibian sealers slaughter these baby seals when just over 200 days
old. This is demonstrated by his returning in the early morning,
but then refusing or rejecting to be tube-fed - as he has fed
himself. Normally, these pups then disappear for above seven
months, and upon their return although they acknowledge me, do not
answer our unique "call" or allow being picked-up and carried.
Although some still maintain the rafts/boat as "their" island, they
gradually go wilder and wilder, spending less time in the Hout Bay
area. If entangled or hurt, they come back for
help.
So Mumkin, we at Seal Alert-SA and its worldwide supporters have
done our bit, the rest is up to you. Go and be wild and free, at
least in some small way we are slowly balancing the destructive
policies that has plagued our Cape fur seal at this, the very tip
of Africa.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
PS - I am sure Mumkin will stay around, as he is still moulting,
getting his new and proper winter/waterproof coat - and only
time will tell how often or in-frequent we will bump into each
other.