Tests on dead Cape fur seals in South Africa have shown some had rabies. Scientists say they believe it's the first evidence of the incurable disease spreading in a marine mammal species.

Scientists in South Africa say they have identified an outbreak of rabies in seals that is believed to be the first time the virus has spread in sea mammals.

At least 24 Cape fur seals that were found dead or euthanized in various locations on South Africa’s west and south coast had rabies, state veterinarian Dr. Lesley van Helden said.

Rabies, which affects mammals and can be passed to people, is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Rabies spreads via saliva, usually through bites but also sometimes when animals lick and groom each other.

  • abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us
    2·
    1 month ago

    I wonder if that was why they were found on the coast? Because after getting rabies they were afraid of the water and went back to dry land?

    Granted, if they had died in the ocean perhaps we wouldn’t have found them at all - so selection bias could also be at play (if say 90% die in the ocean and 10% on the coast, but we can only see those that die on the coast).