Hi!
Today, people are starting to hunt seals. It's so sad, thinking about all those seals being killed for their fur. And it's not any kind of seal, it's baby seals, being clubbed to death for their snowy white fur. And just how do they get the fur off? They skin the baby seal.
Seals already have enough predators. Harp seals are already eaten and killed by killer whales and polar bears, and arctic foxes. They definitely don't need people clubbing their pups.
I wonder how those sealers feel, killing baby seals. It's just like killing a kitten or puppy. And believe me, people have done that before.
It's sad thinking about those babies being killed, just so people can wear their fur.
Until next time,
Chiara
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Hi Chiara. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I'm Elise and I work for the Government of Canada on the seal issue. While I understand you may not agree with the seal harvest, I just wanted to point out that the harvesting of whitecoat seals has been illegal in Canada since 1987. You can learn more about this here: http://bit.ly/cPoU2o
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, Elise. I’m glad that the Canadian government is concerned about people’s thoughts on seals.
ReplyDeleteI was confused at first about your comment that whitecoat seal hunting is illegal in Canada. I did some research, and I figured out what you were saying. Just because the seals are called something different, doesn’t mean they aren’t helpless babies. Here’s something from wikipedia:
Now seals may only be killed once they have started moulting (from 12 to 15 days of age for harp seals), as this coincides with the time when they are abandoned by their mothers. These pups, who have not yet completely moulted, are known as "ragged-jackets". Once the pups have completely moulted, they are called "beaters".
By “abandoned”, wikipedia meant:
Harp seal pups are abruptly weaned from their mothers when they weigh approximately 80 pounds (36 kg). Adult females leave their pups on the ice where they remain without eating for approximately 6 weeks. Pups can lose up to half of their body weight before they enter the water and begin feeding on their own.
Now I know that sealers kill baby seals when their mothers aren’t there to protect them. The babies are defenseless and helpless, on the ice, and they don’t even know how to swim. I found this more upsetting than before.
Here are some links for you to look at:
From this article:
http://www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/protect_seals/about_the_canadian_seal_hunt/
"Harp seals are the primary target of the commercial seal hunt, and to a much smaller extent, hooded seals are also killed. In 2006, 98 percent of the harp seals killed were pups under just three months of age."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/19/seals-hunting-russia-ban
I followed your link to the Humane Society, Chiara. There's actually a table debunking the Canadian Government's debunking claims.
ReplyDeleteElise, I suggest you read:
Canadian Government's Misinformation
Especially grim is the point that the ragged-jackets are still not self-sufficient. Elise, the DFO's policies are allowing seal pups to be killed before they even learn to swim:
"After the mothers leave, the baby seals move together on the ice floes, forming what is described as a harp seal nursery. For up to six weeks the pups fast, living off the fat reserves from their mothers' milk. During this time, the baby seals begin to practice their swimming skills but tend to remain on the surface of the ice. This is largely because they still have a high percentage of body fat, which makes it very difficult for them to dive or swim effectively. It is at this point that the hunters move in, clubbing and shooting the baby seals to death in front of each other."
Russia finally passed a law last year banning the harvesting of seals under 1 year.
Even Russia Bans Baby Seal Hunting
The Canadian Government and its Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) have sanctioned the cruel slaughter of over one million harp seals in a misinformed attempt to correct their previous ignorance on Atlantic Cod stocks. They continue this practice even though scientists and environmentalists have proven that cod is not a major food source of the harp seal.
Come on, Canadian Government: listen to your own people (77% are against the seal harvest policies), take a step towards joining humanity! End this barbaric practice before there are no more Harp seals left.