Men investigated for allegedly beating, stabbing baby seal (Warning: Sensitive content)

The Swartland and West Coast Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was alerted to the graphic video on Monday, and asked the public to help identify the men.

It then opened a case against them at the Laaiplek police station on Tuesday afternoon.

In the video, the men are seen on a fishing boat, just off the coast, with a baby seal in a small puddle of water on the vessel.

The one man holds a knife and is seen attacking and taunting the seal at intervals. He grabs what looks like a beer bottle, at one stage, and pours liquid over the seal’s face.

The animal is dangled over the water and tries to escape, before being thrown against the boat.

Chairperson of the local SPCA, Collette Mang, said staff and members of the public were sickened at the blatant display of cruelty.

She said the animal was clearly distressed.

“We do not know what the fate of the seal was, as it seems that the scene was filmed in December 2017.”

                  A screenshot of the man holding the seal in the fishing boat (Supplied)

The SPCA was confident that justice would be served.

Western Cape police confirmed that a case of ill-treatment, torture and cruelly beating an animal had been opened against the men in terms of the Animals Protection Act.

Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said they believed the incident had happened a week ago.

“No one has been arrested at this stage.”

The local SPCA asked that members of the public make statements at their nearest police station, asking for the highest possible penalty to be imposed at the time of sentencing.

It said people could use a template on its Facebook page to make the statement.