Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossel_Bay
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https://s-m-a-r-t.org.za/weekly-incident-report-4-10-may-2026/
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Avian flu detected in Cape Fur Seals for the first time
By Damian Schreiber
21 May 2026
In early April, a Cape Fur Seal rescued at Mossel Bay in South Africa had to be euthanised because of its poor condition.
The animal hospital caring for it asked that the seal be tested not only for rabies, but also for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Results received earlier this month confirmed that the seal was infected with bird flu. This is historic as it’s the first-ever recorded case of bird flu in a Cape Fur Seal.
Cape Fur Seals, which are endemic to Southern Africa, now face threats from two infectious diseases, rabies and avian influenza, in addition to many human-related threats.
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https://www.namibian.com.na/avian-flu-detected-in-cape-fur-seals-for-the-first-time/
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Another Mossel Bay seal tested for HPAI
The following day, however, the seal died unexpectedly, and the samples were sent off.
Journalist Chelsea Pieterse
Monday, 25 May 2026, 10:49
MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Samples from a Cape fur seal yearling captured from the Mossel Bay harbour on 12 May have been sent to the state vet to test for rabies and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
A seal captured from The Point on 9 April recently tested positive for both. This was, according to the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (Smart), the first time in Mossel Bay and the country that a seal had tested positive for HPAI.
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https://www.mosselbayadvertiser.com...-mossel-bay-seal-tested-for-hpai-202605251059