Alex Aitkenhead
An autopsy on an Aardvark that washed ashore at Milnerton's Sunset Beach has been completed.
The adult female washed ashore on Friday, an animal seldom seen in the Western Cape.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA says an independent wildlife veterinarian ruled out drowning as the likely cause of death.
It said the animal was otherwise in good condition with no signs of external trauma that might have indicated how she came to be floating in the sea.
The SPCA said the vet examined her heart and noticed conditions that would indicate she suffered from heart failure and some fluid on her lungs indicating a shock to the lung.
According to the veterinarian, this is caused by suffocation, such as being kept in a box or container with no ventilation.
The conclusion is that the aardvark was already dead by the time it went into the water, and was either dumped overboard by a ship close to shore or placed in the ocean by someone.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA will continue to investigate this mysterious event.
