Cape Town has reminded residents and visitors that getting within 300 metres of any whale is illegal.
Deputy Mayor Alderman Eddie Andrews said the City had received 11 complaints in the past week about people harassing whales.
“We are also aware of social media posts showing people approaching whales on kayaks, surf skis, and boats, or even swimming out to them,” Andrews said.
“This disturbs the whales, affecting their feeding, especially mothers with calves. We must respect our environmental laws.”
Andrews said the Cape Peninsula has a rich marine environment, and a variety of whale species are found along its coastline all year.
This year, many humpback whales have been seen near the shores of False Bay and the Atlantic seaboard.
“This is normal for this time of year, and we expect to see super groups on the Atlantic seaboard until February next year,” Andrews added.
The National Environmental Management Act protects whales, and the City’s coastal by-laws forbid interfering with any marine life without written authorisation. This includes harming, harassing, or disturbing whales or their habitats.
Anyone wanting to report whale harassment can email Gregg Oelofse, Manager of Coastal Management, at [email protected].
Zikhona Mveni, 36, was surprised by the rules: “It’s the first time I’ve heard this. We usually go to see whales and take pictures. I didn’t know we needed to stay 300 metres away. If a whale comes close, we must still move away to keep that distance.”
Pictured above: A whale.
Source: Stock
