‘Rabid’ seals foaming at the mouth with ‘cherry-red, evil eyes’ spark terror among beachgoers after spate of attacks in tourist hot-spot

Rabid seals with foaming mouths have caused panic among beachgoers in Cape Town after multiple reports of attacks by the virus-infected mammals in the South African city.

Scientists are advising anyone injured by a seal off the Cape Town coast to seek medical attention, as cases of rabies have been confirmed in the species for the first time in 40 years.

Beachgoers are also warned to keep their dogs on a leash on the beach and to stay away from any seals they may encounter.

Rabies is a rare but serious infection that can be spread to humans and other animals through contact with the saliva of infected animals. Symptoms include hallucinations and feeling very anxious or energetic, according to the Dutch Health Service.

There have been several unprovoked attacks reported in Cape Town in recent years.

A rabies outbreak has been linked to a rise in seal attacks in Cape Town, South Africa, including an attack on American actress Loulou Taylor in January last year. Pictured: A seal attacks a boy playing in the shallows of a beach in Cape Town, South Africa, last year

Last year, American actress Loulou Taylor said she was bitten six times by an angry seal pup while swimming along the coast of South Africa.

During the attack, Taylor, who is known for his role in the HBO series Raised by Wolves, was seen rushing at a child in a rage and attempting to bite him as a man shouted, “Get out of the water!”

Bystanders screamed before two men came to help, causing the animal to flee.

But then a woman can be heard screaming as the creature attacks her in the sea. She tries to push it away but fails, prompting a group of witnesses to come to help.

Eventually, a man grabbed the animal by its fins and threw it back into the water, while the woman was pulled to safety.

Last year, HBO actress Loulou Taylor (pictured) said she was bitten six times by the angry seal pup while swimming off the coast of South Africa

A few seconds before the chaos broke out, we heard someone say, “Oh, baby.” Then the situation turned to chaos.

In a recent incident at Muizenberg Beach in Cape Town, three surfers taking part in a competition were attacked by a seal.

In a video on Facebook, South African surfers talk about the attack.

An anonymous man said, “This little seal came at me at high speed… and latched onto my back… and bit me on my behind.”

He explained that the seal had attached itself to his surfboard and started biting it.

A colony of Cape fur seals gather on rocks as researchers try to determine the full extent of a rabies outbreak among seals off the coast of Cape Town

‘All I could do was try to get it off, but I couldn’t even get it off my board.

‘Eventually it let me go, but it kept coming back all the time.’

Snorkeling guide Jami Marnitz told the TV show Carte Blanche that the attacking seals typically have foaming mouths, “cherry-red, evil eyes” and pursue their targets relentlessly.

The rise in seal attacks has prompted baffled scientists to investigate the cause. The animals do not normally target humans.

The incidents were originally linked to a mass seal die-off along the southern coast of South Africa, which was attributed to poisoning by a naturally occurring neurotoxin produced by seaweed that accumulates in small fish and squid, which are then eaten by ocean predators.

However, further investigation has shown that rabies is the cause of the attacks, a condition that has not been reported in a seal since the first case in Norway in 1981.

Last month, the Western Cape Government confirmed the presence of rabies in seals along the Cape Town coast.

“Residents and travelers are urged to exercise caution when visiting our coastline,” the statement said.

‘People who regularly come into contact with seals or who use the coastal areas for recreational activities, such as surfers, divers, water sports enthusiasts and especially people in the fishing sector, are asked to be extra careful.’

The Western Cape government added that stored seal samples collected by Sea Search, a South African research group, are currently being tested to determine the timeline and extent of the outbreak.

Researchers are now trying to determine the full extent of the rabies outbreak.

It is estimated that there are approximately two million fur seals living along the South African coast.