Gordy the Elephant Seal's Return Sparks Mixed Reactions in Mzansi

• Gordy the elephant seal reappeared in Simon's Town near the Naval Base, and the video is making the rounds on social media
• The Cape of Good Hope SPCA confirmed he is in a secure location and is being monitored by wildlife professionals
• Netizens expressed mixed feelings regarding the seal's distress and potential environmental factors

The elephant seal, affectionately known as "Gordy," who recently captivated residents of Gordon's Bay, has resurfaced again in a new location in Cape Town. After his initial visit to Gordon's Bay, which necessitated his return to the ocean, Gordy was spotted near the Naval Base in Simon's Town on Thursday morning.

As reported by a TikTok account named @mywildfireworld, they shared a video of the seal on land, highlighting that Gordy has indeed come back again. They captioned the video:

“5/29/25 MARTIN/GORDY UPDATE. The seal has several names. South Africa, the Southern elephant seal that surprised the community of #GordonsBay is doing well. He is a young male of probably 5 years of age. He was yesterday spotted off KalkBay and confirmed through a blue tag by the Two Oceans. Today, he is at the South African Naval base in Simmon’s Town; confirmed by SPCA. The City of Cape Town and navy have cordoned off the area and hopefully he will remain there. The DFFE and participating institutions in elephant seal research off mainland South Africa will continue to monitor and update the public. TY Dave Hurwitz.”

Watch the TikTok video below:

The return of Gordy the elephant seal

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has confirmed that Gordy is now in a secure area, eliminating the need for another extensive rescue operation. "He’s currently safe and secure in a location where he cannot access any roads, and there’s no immediate risk to his well-being," stated the SPCA. An inspector from the SPCA and representatives from the City of Cape Town are on site, observing Gordy as he rests, which is considered normal behaviour for elephant seals.

Elephant seals frequently come ashore, a practice known as "hauling out" by marine experts, especially during periods of moulting or after long swims. Given that Gordy, estimated by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) to be around five years old, traversed False Bay in a short timeframe, he is certainly deserving of a few days of rest. The animal welfare organisation and its partners will continue to monitor Gordy, prepared to intervene if he shows any signs of distress.

Mzansi reacted with mixed feelings

While the SPCA shared that Martin the seal, previously known as Gordy, is safe, reactions online were mixed. Some found his return amusing, while others expressed concern, speculating about potential issues with the seal or his habitat.

Zee🌻 wrote:

"Register him as a South African citizen now. 😊"

bafanavilakazi2 jokingly wrote:

"He is owing a loan shark this one. 😆 🤣 running away."

🏳️‍🌈Miss J🏳️‍🌈 questioned:

"Can't the SPCA check his health?"

Dee commented:

"He's just like, 'Life's better with you guys. You can't get rid of me that easily.' 😂"

Brown 🤎skin🤎🍓asked:

"Didn't he go back, or was this before? Or is it the same one? The other one was a little bit bigger?"

veron_vee0 ladyvee😘 jokingly assumed:

"I heard that the wife filed for divorce and chased him out of the ocean since they were married in a community of property. 🥺🥺🥺 She thinks that she went to cheat during his vacation period."

MissG💎shared:

"I did say he would be back."

VistaIT posted:

"My comment came true when I said he would be back; he enjoyed being on land."

Shelzy wrote:

"Poor baby, I think he feels safer on land than in the sea at the moment. Thank you to all who are working to keep him safe. 💕💕💐"

Here's a previous TikTok clip of Gordy:

3 relevant Briefly News stories about unusual elephant seals

• A man at a beach near Gordon's Bay in the Western Cape shared a video of a large elephant seal making its way to shore.
• An elephant seal returned safely to the ocean after surprising the residents of Gordon’s Bay community, leading to a road closure.
• An elephant seal in Gordon's Bay, Western Cape, went viral on social media as it had an adventure in the town.

Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Source: Briefly News