02/07/2025
SAAMBR staff are mourning the death of Jabu, our beloved seal who passed away peacefully this afternoon. Jabu was the oldest member of our seal family and has been with us since 1996 after he was rescued at a beach in the Eastern Cape shortly after a huge storm hit the area.
We estimated Jabu to have been about 4 years old at the time, which means he was approximately 33 years old.
Jabu was an icon and a legend in his own right. He brought so much joy not only the staff, but to the millions of guests who met him during the daily shows. It was easy to fall in love with Jabu who we called our gentle giant.
He played a big role in SAAMBR’s mission of connecting people with the ocean and promoting marine conservation.
Over the past few years Jabu began to slow down and started showing signs of his age. The level of husbandry and medical care at uShaka Sea World is of such a high standard that Jabu reached an age that a seal would not normally attain in the wild. He still enjoyed interacting with the animal care team and having little fishy snacks right up until the end.
Although his passing was not unexpected, it has left an enormous hole in the hearts of the SAAMBR team, many of whom have worked with him for almost 30 years.
Once such staff member is Hayley Tennant who managed to say the following few words through her tears. "Jabu was such a sweet soul, a true gentleman and a legend. His grace, strength and mischievous spirit has always been an inspiration to me. I am truly honoured to have known him and to have been part of his life for the past 3 decades. Rest in peace beloved Jabu"
uShaka Marine World National Zoological Garden Bayworld PE The Johannesburg Zoo Zoo Praha Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation
