Seal slaughter in Namibia,
the most brutal of all culls!
Did you know the Namibian seal hunt is responsible for the largest slaughter of wildlife on earth? It is considered to be the most brutal of ALL culls and is officially responsible for the deaths of more seals than the Canadian cull.
INTRODUCTION
'Hit the baby one more time' written by Louise de Bruin - Monday, 02 May 2011
Many are familiar with Canada’s annual seal harvest; a quota of over 400,000 seals is to be culled in 2011.
What many are not aware of, however, is that Namibia is the only country in the southern hemisphere that still clubs seals. Namibia’s harvest is considered the most brutal slaughter, as it is the only country that allows the clubbing of nursing pups. In fact, approximately 90% of the country’s annual cull is seal pup based.
Animal activists as well as researchers have highlighted the inhumane methods used by Namibian sealers. During the seal culling season, which runs from July to November, sealers club as many seals as possible in a limited period per day, before tourists, oblivious to the practice, enter the same beaches to view the remaining seals. Because of the limited time period in which to work, sealers are not able to employ the approved method of “stunning” and often seals are clubbed while conscious resulting in them enduring severe pain and high levels of stress.
Fuelling the Namibian seal culling practice and the manufacturing of its by-products, is Turkish businessman, Hatem Yavuz. Yavuz suggested a solution to the suffering endured by seals, he stated that “In order for them to feel less pain, they need to be killed with a club that has a nail in it.” Consequently, in Namibia ninety thousand Cape Fur seal pups are beaten to death using this method.
Animal rights activists as well as the media have expressed doubt and speculation that this activity supposedly protects fisheries in Namibia. Evidence has proven these objectives to be unsubstantiated or inconclusive.
The aim of this paper is to highlight Namibia’s inhumane sealing practices and to discuss the potential alternatives of using seals to bring capital into the country – such as tourist attractions. Due to the fact that Namibia lacks adequate scientific research regarding all aspects of seal culling and the impact seals have on the environment, the paper relies on pertinent research undertaken in Canada. Therefore, when considering the data, habitat differences and the different types of seals and fish must be taken into consideration. The paper concludes that Namibian seal practices revolve around a case of ethics, as the Government continues to allow this practice without conducting adequate studies and despite the practice being claimed inhumane by the international community.
Seals – beaten and stabbed
Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus are commonly known as Cape Fur Seals, South African or Namibian Fur seals, or Brown fur seals. When on land, these seals are found in large colonies along rocks and beaches and are characterised by their friendly and curious nature. Their diet consists mainly of a variety of fish. Hyenas and black-backed jackals are among their natural land predators. However, man is fast becoming their number one enemy.
Culling along the desert coastline of Namibia is an annual event. Seals are favoured for their thick layers of blubber – which are used for oils, low-grade margarine, and omega-3 capsules – and fur, which is used for fashion items. A report stating that the Namibian Minister of Fisheries’ announcement to go forth with the annual cull articulated that: “Apart from fur jackets, shoes and bags made from seal skin, seals are also killed for their fat. The penises of seal bulls are dried and exported to Asian countries, where they are believed to increase the sexual potency of men.” Apart from the thousands of pups killed, over 6,000 bulls are also killed annually. Cape Fur seals are now featured on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The survival of these seals is thus dependent on strict and careful conservation.
In order to meet the numbers set out by the Namibian Government quotas, sealers are forced to club seals at a fast speed. As a result, questions regarding the ethical standard of the Namibian seal cull have been raised. Another factor adding to sealers’ time pressure is that the culling takes place up until the arrival of tourists coming to view seals - a popular attraction in Namibia. The Cape Cross seal colony, for example, is closed to the public between 5am and 10am, while seals are being culled.
Tourists are oblivious to this fact as the blood-stained beaches are hastily cleaned and carcasses removed.
Canadian studies have revealed the quickest and least traumatic killing process for seals, which includes a three-step rapid-succession process, namely: stunning; monitoring; and bleeding out each seal killed. Stunning is a blow to the cranium, destroying brain sensory function. It is vital to monitor the seal to make sure that it is irreversibly unconscious or dead. Finally, as stipulated by the Independent Veterinarians Working Group of Canada, major blood vessels must be severed in order to complete the process and ensure ‘humane slaughter’.
A direct correlation between Canada and Namibia can be difficult to draw because of vast differences between the seals and the habitat in which the harvesting occurs. Cape Fur seals are agile and can move very quickly, especially on the onset of danger. They are also rarely found independently, but congregate in large groups. Thus, accurately striking a moving target, and inflicting severe impact to cause loss of brain function, is unlikely. The implications of this are that a seal will regain consciousness, or that sealers have to club the seals repeatedly. Sealers often ‘miss the mark’ of the cranium. This defies all notions of humanity but instead reflects cruelty and disgrace. According to Namibian law, section 8 of the Animal Protection Act of 1962 forbids people from beating an animal to death.
The environmental impact
Research on the true effects that seals have on the commercial fishing market is lacking, globally. In Canada, very little has been done to prove the claims that seals have a negative impact on fishing interests. In Namibia, unfortunately, even fewer studies have been done. According to Canada’s Fisheries Department, seals can have five possible kinds of negative effects on prey populations:
One of the few studies conducted by experts was done by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, with the assistance of the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS).
Their research was conducted in the eastern Canadian waters to study what impacts the grey seal population has on the Atlantic cod stocks. While the study proved the relationship between seals and fish to be very intricate, researchers from the CSAS found little evidence to prove seal predation to have a major impact on commercial fish stock.
A concerning fact, regarding the preservation of these mammals, and their conservation, as stipulated according to CITES, is that the Namibian Fisheries Ministry increases the annual seal pup quota, without conducting pup population surveys. According to Stephen Kirkman, researcher for the South African Journal of Science, on occasion when data was gathered, the Namibian Minister of Fisheries “frequently disregarded the scientific advice, and instructed the scientists to set the quotas as he saw fit, often at double the recommended scientific level.”
Economic impacts and eco-tourism
There can be only one reason why thousands of seals are beaten annually, and why this is permitted despite widespread public outcry – money.
Research on the true effects that seals have on the commercial fishing market is lacking, globally. In Canada, very little has been done to prove the claims that seals have a negative impact on fishing interests. In Namibia, unfortunately, even fewer studies have been done. According to Canada’s Fisheries Department, seals can have five possible kinds of negative effects on prey populations:
- predation;
- competition for food;
- transmission of parasites causing increased mortality of fish;
- disruption of spawning causing reduced reproductive success; and
- other indirect effects on prey productivity, caused by changes in fish behaviour in order to reduce the risk of seal predation.
One of the few studies conducted by experts was done by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, with the assistance of the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS).
Their research was conducted in the eastern Canadian waters to study what impacts the grey seal population has on the Atlantic cod stocks. While the study proved the relationship between seals and fish to be very intricate, researchers from the CSAS found little evidence to prove seal predation to have a major impact on commercial fish stock.
A concerning fact, regarding the preservation of these mammals, and their conservation, as stipulated according to CITES, is that the Namibian Fisheries Ministry increases the annual seal pup quota, without conducting pup population surveys. According to Stephen Kirkman, researcher for the South African Journal of Science, on occasion when data was gathered, the Namibian Minister of Fisheries “frequently disregarded the scientific advice, and instructed the scientists to set the quotas as he saw fit, often at double the recommended scientific level.”
Economic impacts and eco-tourism
There can be only one reason why thousands of seals are beaten annually, and why this is permitted despite widespread public outcry – money.
It is not disputed that seal products are a source of income. However, these products do not generate such large volumes of capital that the cruel methods of retrieving them cannot be brought to an end. This raises the question as to why Namibia is one of the few countries still permitting this activity. Namibia’s continued culling of seals has brought about increased global disgrace. The European Union (EU) banned its member states from importing any seal products in 2009; the United States has also condemned the seal product trade.
Another potential economic impact of seal-culling, that cannot be validly justified, is the creation of employment. Approximately 81 jobs are created through the practice of seal culling, and the working period is seasonal. The seal culling season runs from July to November and jobs are only provided during this time. South African-based seal conservation organisation, Seal Alert SA’s Francois Hugo has also raised concern over the poor living standards of sealers in Namibia, saying that sealing claims to provide a maintainable income, but “all live in acute poverty in the desert in cardboard shacks.” The Government itself only generates about N$ 1 million (US$ 146,000) annually from seal culling.
It would thus seem imperative for the Namibian Government to consider a more viable alternative. Should the Government invest in eco-tourism, for example, a more sustainable and profitable option.
Adding to the attraction of such an alternative is the ethical appeal. Many have warned that the continuation of seal culling in Namibia would severely impact the tourist industry and lead to a negative regard for the country. Economic implications could be dire. According to the Namibian newspaper, The Observer, “Economic analysts warn that continued culling may have serious repercussions for the Namibian economy if the country continues with the annual harvesting of seals given the threat of a boycott of Namibian produced goods.”
Ironically, the same seals tourists come to Namibia to see are the ones being culled. Tourists contribute significantly to Namibia’s economy each year.
According to a 2007 Action Against Poisoning report, tourists’ entrance fees alone, into the viewing areas of the Cape Cross seal colony, brought in a profit of N$ 2 million (US$ 292,000). Seal-viewing boat rides are a popular choice among tourists and an additional source of capital. “Boat-ride ticket income exceeds N$6 million (€ 600,000) per annum.” Investing in the eco-tourism market seems like an obvious preference for the Government as the combined income from the “Cape Cross Seal Viewing and the boat-rides exceeds N$ 8 million (US$ 1,168 000).” This industry has the potential to exceed the sealing one by N$ 2 million.
Adding appeal to the eco-tourism market, as opposed to the sealing practice, is the potential for increased job creation.
The eco-tourism market would open far greater job opportunities, in a variety of areas such as restaurants, shops catering to tourists, and at the seal-viewing venues. These jobs would also not be restricted to the seal culling season, as eco-tourism has the potential to generate year-round jobs.
According to The World Travel and Tourism Council, “Total employment in the travel and tourism industry is expected to increase from 71,000 jobs in 2010 to 109,000 by 2020.”
One man’s power leaves little hope
Hatum Yavuz is a Turkish businessman with business ventures in Namibia. The Namibian Government signed a 10 year contract with Yavuz, allowing him to cull a million seal pups for their skins. The contract ends in 2019. Alarmingly, the number of seals that the Government has agreed to be culled exceeds the current total seal population of Namibia. Apart from his fur and skin produce, Yavuz also plans to invest in two seal-meat processing plants, to be operational by 2012, in Namibia for human consumption. Turkey is not a member of the EU.
Yavuz has made several offers to sell his ‘culling rights’ to groups such as Seal Alert SA; this despite him not having the Namibian Minister of Fisheries’ approval to sell his rights, as required by the Marine Resources Act of 2000. The Act prevents the ‘culling rights’ from being sold or traded without the Minister's consent.
The Government is responsible for allocating the annual quotas and sealing licences – such as the one issued to Yavuz. In the words of Yavuz: “You cannot buy the quota, because that's owned by the state, and therefore buying me out is not going to stop seal harvesting." So, even though Yavuz’s ethical standards may be questioned, the root of the problem is the Government. Until national legislation ending seal culling is put in place, Yavuz’s words remain a reality: “The seal harvest will continue. The noises coming from Francois Hugo will not convince the Namibian State to halt the harvest. We will continue our business as usual.”
Unless the Namibian Government instigates change, nothing will be done. Proposals to boost the tourism industry can be put forth; organisations can proclaim the inhumane slaughtering methods of the Namibian sealers; or the urgency for the Cape Fur seals’ conservation will be in vain until Government makes a change.
Concluding comments – a case of ethics
As the present reality stands, and according to research done for the South African Journal of Science, it is not possible for seals to be culled in accordance with the Animal Act or the United Nations (UN) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Humane slaughter methods, precision and inspection by authorities for seals’ conscious levels are ultimately not possible, considering the large number of seals culled and the time period in which harvesting is done.
Therefore, despite arguments that this practice has a viable function and objective, it is cruel, barbarous and inhumane. But even though societal interests such as wealth and power are overpowering in these modern times, these objectives fail to have sound justification as economically more favourable alternatives to seal culling are available.
Due to the lack of research within the Fisheries Ministry, it appears there is a blatant disregard for responsible and humane sealing practices.
Therefore, the analysis of the seal culling industry in Namibia can be based on an ethical framework – or rather, a lack thereof. Whether one’s point of departure is animal activism or conservation, or even financial gain, if one’s ethical framework is not concerned with reducing unnecessary suffering, no amount of money or business will rectify the tainted and warped realities. The question left to ponder then is if the ethical framework of those in power is based on suffering, pain and a blatant disregard for animals, what will become of the society they lead?
To view the notes and references for this article, please go to the source, which is Hit the baby one more time – Namibia in a league of its own
On 1st of July, 2012 the annual seal slaughter starts again.
For the next 139 days, terrified pups will be rounded up, separated from their mothers
and be violently beaten to death.
From the 1st of July, 2012, 80 thousand Cape Fur seal pups will be savagely beaten to death for their fur pelts. Six thousand bulls will be shot so that their penises may be used to make an ineffective aphrodisiac. For the next 139 days, terrified pups will be rounded up, separated from their mothers and be violently beaten to death. The colony will be rounded up at day break. Pups, bulls and cows will be surrounded and kept away from the safety of the sea. Men with clubs move in and the seals run in fear.
To kill the animal, the men need to administer a swift blow to the head. This is supposed to cause the cranium to disintegrate. This initial strike is seldom sufficient to kill the animal and, as it tries to take evasive action, it is repeatedly beaten until it is either dead or unconscious. The sealer then stabs the little ones in the throat, sometimes while they are still alive. The baby seals are known to become so terrified that they will vomit up their mothers milk. The sand on the beach is stained pink from all the blood. Carcasses are hurled onto the backs of waiting vehicles and the bulldozers set to work cleaning up the blood before the tourists arrive to view the colony.
Each year, despite a declining population, the quota gets increased.
The Cape Fur Seal is listed on Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. (CITES) This means that they are not yet threatened with extinction, but their survival is dependent on conservation. They have a natural mortality rate of around 30% within the first few weeks of being born. In Canada, sealing only begins after the pup is fully weaned and is self surviving. The Cape Fur Seal however, takes much longer to wean, up to 11 months. Clubbing begins when they are seven months old. Yes, still baby babies.
Loss of habitat, the fishing industry, disease and starvation are major threats to these animals. Between 1994 and 2000 some 300 thousand seals died from starvation. In 1993 the pup production was 164 248 with a sealing TAC quota of 50 850 - (31% of pups) In 2000 the pup production was 147 823 (90% of 1993) with a sealing TAC quota of 60 000 - (41% of pups). In 2006 the pup production was 107 910 (73% of 2000) with a sealing TAC quota of 85 000 - (79% of pups) What justification is there for the Namibian government to increase the quota from 31% to 79% considering the two mass die offs in between where between a third to a half of the population died of starvation? This amounts to a seal genocide!
The ministry of fisheries claims it has on several occasions asked the public for a more humane method of culling. To date, no one has come up with a solution. The cull is mostly driven by ONE man. Hatem Yavuz. He has the contract to buy every skin from the Namibian cull until 2019. He pays $7 per pelt while foreign tourists pay $12 to view the colony (after the bull-dozers have cleaned up the beach that is) His solution to the method of culling is:
"In order for them to feel less pain, they need to be killed with a club that has a nail in it.”
This highlights the mans ignorance. Namibian seals are NOT clubbed with a spiked club, but are savagely bludgeoned to death with pick handles.
Yavuz, who describes himself as an animal lover, is arrogant in the extreme. He wears a necklace made from the teeth of a white whale he killed. Dubbed "The King of the Cull" Yavuz jokes in an interview with Australia's Seven News that he wears his crown with pride. He laughs at the interviewer and makes silly and snide comments the whole way through. Yavuz and his partner run their business "Hatem Yavuz Deri" from Sydney and apparently also have offices in Turkey, Russia and South Africa.
Here is his e-mail address E-mail: hatemyavuz@superonline.com. Feel free to raise your concerns. Alternative contact details for Yavuz can be found on his website by clicking HERE.
To kill the animal, the men need to administer a swift blow to the head. This is supposed to cause the cranium to disintegrate. This initial strike is seldom sufficient to kill the animal and, as it tries to take evasive action, it is repeatedly beaten until it is either dead or unconscious. The sealer then stabs the little ones in the throat, sometimes while they are still alive. The baby seals are known to become so terrified that they will vomit up their mothers milk. The sand on the beach is stained pink from all the blood. Carcasses are hurled onto the backs of waiting vehicles and the bulldozers set to work cleaning up the blood before the tourists arrive to view the colony.
Each year, despite a declining population, the quota gets increased.
The Cape Fur Seal is listed on Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. (CITES) This means that they are not yet threatened with extinction, but their survival is dependent on conservation. They have a natural mortality rate of around 30% within the first few weeks of being born. In Canada, sealing only begins after the pup is fully weaned and is self surviving. The Cape Fur Seal however, takes much longer to wean, up to 11 months. Clubbing begins when they are seven months old. Yes, still baby babies.
Loss of habitat, the fishing industry, disease and starvation are major threats to these animals. Between 1994 and 2000 some 300 thousand seals died from starvation. In 1993 the pup production was 164 248 with a sealing TAC quota of 50 850 - (31% of pups) In 2000 the pup production was 147 823 (90% of 1993) with a sealing TAC quota of 60 000 - (41% of pups). In 2006 the pup production was 107 910 (73% of 2000) with a sealing TAC quota of 85 000 - (79% of pups) What justification is there for the Namibian government to increase the quota from 31% to 79% considering the two mass die offs in between where between a third to a half of the population died of starvation? This amounts to a seal genocide!
The ministry of fisheries claims it has on several occasions asked the public for a more humane method of culling. To date, no one has come up with a solution. The cull is mostly driven by ONE man. Hatem Yavuz. He has the contract to buy every skin from the Namibian cull until 2019. He pays $7 per pelt while foreign tourists pay $12 to view the colony (after the bull-dozers have cleaned up the beach that is) His solution to the method of culling is:
"In order for them to feel less pain, they need to be killed with a club that has a nail in it.”
This highlights the mans ignorance. Namibian seals are NOT clubbed with a spiked club, but are savagely bludgeoned to death with pick handles.
Yavuz, who describes himself as an animal lover, is arrogant in the extreme. He wears a necklace made from the teeth of a white whale he killed. Dubbed "The King of the Cull" Yavuz jokes in an interview with Australia's Seven News that he wears his crown with pride. He laughs at the interviewer and makes silly and snide comments the whole way through. Yavuz and his partner run their business "Hatem Yavuz Deri" from Sydney and apparently also have offices in Turkey, Russia and South Africa.
Here is his e-mail address E-mail: hatemyavuz@superonline.com. Feel free to raise your concerns. Alternative contact details for Yavuz can be found on his website by clicking HERE.
The above text is taken from the website of the 'Seals of Nam'. For more information about the Namibian seal cull and to stay up to date about actions that you can take, please visit the 'Seals of Nam'.
To find out how else you can help stop this madness click HERE
To find out how else you can help stop this madness click HERE
Self-proclaimed "The King of Seal Killers", Mr. Hatem Yavuz operates his business in Sydney, Australia where he employs thousands in Namibia to slaughter young seals for his business as a 'tycoon'. He also gets baby seal skins from Greenland and Canada and owns 60% of the seal fur market.
His factory in Istanbul sees over 130,000 seal skins per year. Mr. Yavuz has tried to 'breed' seals in cages himself, but they suffered terribly because they were not allowed to go near 'water' where they need to 'live'.
Mr. Yavuz laughs very proudly that women call him a "disgrace" for what he does by killing baby seals to keep his multi-million dollar empire going, but he does not care.... he 'loves what he does' for a living.
Mr. Yavuz needs to find another way of living, rather than to club and skin young seals while still alive and in front of nursing mothers in Namibia, Greenland and Canada.
This is the 21st Century, and there is NO NEED for wearing fur any longer when there are other viable products on the market.
Here is his e-mail address: hatemyavuz@superonline.com. Feel free to raise your concerns. Alternative contact details for Yavuz can be found on his website by clicking HERE.
His factory in Istanbul sees over 130,000 seal skins per year. Mr. Yavuz has tried to 'breed' seals in cages himself, but they suffered terribly because they were not allowed to go near 'water' where they need to 'live'.
Mr. Yavuz laughs very proudly that women call him a "disgrace" for what he does by killing baby seals to keep his multi-million dollar empire going, but he does not care.... he 'loves what he does' for a living.
Mr. Yavuz needs to find another way of living, rather than to club and skin young seals while still alive and in front of nursing mothers in Namibia, Greenland and Canada.
This is the 21st Century, and there is NO NEED for wearing fur any longer when there are other viable products on the market.
Here is his e-mail address: hatemyavuz@superonline.com. Feel free to raise your concerns. Alternative contact details for Yavuz can be found on his website by clicking HERE.
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Unlike the seals targeted by the commercial Canadian seal massacre, the Namibian seal has much greater locomotive abilities. These seals will attempt to run away and can run almost as fast as a man, even over rough terrain.
When they are being beaten to death, they take evasive action. Several blows are typically landed before the animal is rendered dead or unconscious.
Since the EU and Russia have banned the import of Canadian skins, the Namibian seal "cull" has become the largest slaughter of wildlife on earth. It is for these reasons that the Namibian hunt is considered the most brutal of all seal hunts.
In the next video, Pat Dickens, the campaign manager for "The Seals Of Nam" explains why the Namibian seal hunt is considered to be the cruelest, most inhumane hunt on earth.
When they are being beaten to death, they take evasive action. Several blows are typically landed before the animal is rendered dead or unconscious.
Since the EU and Russia have banned the import of Canadian skins, the Namibian seal "cull" has become the largest slaughter of wildlife on earth. It is for these reasons that the Namibian hunt is considered the most brutal of all seal hunts.
In the next video, Pat Dickens, the campaign manager for "The Seals Of Nam" explains why the Namibian seal hunt is considered to be the cruelest, most inhumane hunt on earth.
Please speak up - sign the AVAAZ-petition!
Why this is important
On July 1st 2012, a quota of 85 000 Cape Fur seal pups are set to be beaten to death in Namibia. The pups are separated from their mothers. They are herded away from the safety of the sea where they are then beaten to death with pick handles. They are stabbed in the throat, often while still alive.
You can help put an end to this!
A further quota of 6 000 adult bull seals will be set. These are to be shot at point blank range so that their genitals can be exported to the East where they are used to make ineffective sex potions for the Asian Market.
We can beat this cruelty!
Aside from the cruelty aspect, an independent report shows that seal viewing based ecotourism in Namibia will yield three hundred times more revenue than the massacre and will create a wealth of job opportunities in a country desperate for employment.
This is not just about animals, but people too!!
Cape Fur Seals are a threatened species. They have suffered massive habitat loss, several mass die offs and they are listed on Appendix II of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. (CITES)
With Namibia facing mounting public outcry and increasing consumer boycotts, we the undersigned are urging the Hon. Minister Bernard Esau to immediately end the annual bloodbath, protect the seals with effective new legislation and to allow all Namibians to benefit from this magnificent tourist drawcard.
Please click HERE to sign and share. Time is running!
What else you can do to help...
The Seals Of Nam is making an urgent appeal that YOU email the Namibian media with your thoughts on the massacre.
Will you visit the country as a tourist?
Do you support The Seals of Nam's calls for a boycott?
What steps do you think need to be taken?
Here are their contact details:
NAMIBIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION (NAMPA)
news@nampa.org
NEW ERA
neweanews@newera.com.na
editor@newera.com.na
THE NAMIBIAN
news@namibian.com.na
THE ECONOMIST
desere@economist.com.na
daniel@economist.com.na
understudy@economist.com.na
REPUBLIKEIN
repubkn@repulikein.com.na
dani@republikein.com.na
deysele@republikein.com.na
ALGEMEINE ZEITUNG
azinfo@az.com.na
ehofmann@az.com.na
INFORMANTE
editor@tgi.na
THE OBSERVER
editor@observer.com.na
NAMIBIAN SUN
sun@namibiansun.com.na
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL ADV. JOHN WALTERS, THE NAMIBIAN OMBUDSMAN:
vboesak@ombudsman.org.na
ivanwyk@ombudsman.org.na
ecline@ombudsman.org.na
Please sign the petition
addressed to ATTA Adventure Travel Trade Association to make them aware
of the global outcry against the barbarity of the slaughter
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From 1st of July to November 91,000 of these beautiful Cape Fur Seals that you see in the pictures at the right, are going to be subject to daily terror as they are chased up on the beach and the babies are separated from their mothers - then the killing begins as the babies are clubbed to death with pick handles and the bulls are shot at point blank range.
We have one more option and that is to turn to the tourist industry and show the world that despite the beauty of the land, the great progress made in other areas of conservation, Namibia still brutally slaughters seals for no other reason but to enrich a privileged few. Please sign the petition addressed to ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association) using the widget > > > > > > > > or directly at change.org |
Thank you! |
The petition to CITES
CITES: give the Cape Fur Seals the protection they deserve
In 1972 the Cape Fur Seal was listed on Appendix II of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
It is the ONLY species of seal to be found on the African continent. It has suffered a 97% loss of preferred habitat and has barely survived six major mass die offs. Namibian government scientist Dr.JP Roux has confirmed that between 95%-100% of all pups born in 1994 did not survive. In 2004 the Cape Fur Seal suffered the largest mass die off of any marine mammal in recorded history. An estimated 350 thousand animals died.
To make matters worse, the Namibian government slaughters 80 000 nursing pups by beating them to death with pick handles. A further 6 000 adult bulls are shot so that their genitals may be exported to the East, fueling the illegal trade in animal body parts for fake medicines and aphrodisiacs.
In South Africa, the Cape Fur Seal is legally protected under the Seals and Seabirds Protection Act. Namibian ombudsman Adv John Walters has confirmed these seals have NO protection whatsoever in Namibia.
Please click here to sign.
Thank you very much!
It is the ONLY species of seal to be found on the African continent. It has suffered a 97% loss of preferred habitat and has barely survived six major mass die offs. Namibian government scientist Dr.JP Roux has confirmed that between 95%-100% of all pups born in 1994 did not survive. In 2004 the Cape Fur Seal suffered the largest mass die off of any marine mammal in recorded history. An estimated 350 thousand animals died.
To make matters worse, the Namibian government slaughters 80 000 nursing pups by beating them to death with pick handles. A further 6 000 adult bulls are shot so that their genitals may be exported to the East, fueling the illegal trade in animal body parts for fake medicines and aphrodisiacs.
In South Africa, the Cape Fur Seal is legally protected under the Seals and Seabirds Protection Act. Namibian ombudsman Adv John Walters has confirmed these seals have NO protection whatsoever in Namibia.
Please click here to sign.
Thank you very much!
Anti-Seal Campaign Worries Government!
July 6, 2012
GOVERNMENT has put together a task team to deal with negative international publicity surrounding Namibia's annual seal cull and its effect on tourism, especially the country's chances to host the Adventure Tourism World Summit (ATWS) next year.
Namibia is one of three countries shortlisted to host the global event, which is expected to lure about 600 players in the adventure tourism industry to the country. Should Namibia be chosen, it will also be the first time the ATWS will take place in Africa.
However, shortly after the Adventure Travel Tourism Association (ATTA) sent its inspection team to Namibia in May, anti-sealing activists calling themselves Just for Seals Namibia launched a petition to get the body to reject the country's bid. By yesterday afternoon, 5 557 people around the globe had signed the petition.
At a meeting of the tourism industry on Monday, marketers voiced their concern about the anti-sealing campaign, set to start on July 15, and the impact it might have on tourist bookings.
Gitta Paetzold, chief executive officer of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), yesterday told The Namibian that the consensus at the meeting was that Namibia needed a national strategy on the seal issue. "We all need to convey the same message," she said.
Paetzold said Namibia virtually has the ATWS in the bag, and that the seal controversy could be the "only negative".
Acting Permanent Secretary of Environment and Tourism Erica Akuenje scheduled the first meeting of the task force for yesterday afternoon. Although the seal cull doesn't fall under her Ministry, the seal issue is used to impact the tourism industry negatively.
Akuenje wasn't available for comment yesterday afternoon. The Ministry's director of tourism, Sem Shikongo, referred all questions to Akuenje and told The Namibian that it was an "an internal Government meeting".
Meanwhile, the anti-sealing activists are stepping their campaign. The Seals of Namibia on Wednesday appealed to its more than 4,000 supporters on its Facebook page to start tweeting Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron, who is currently filming 'Mad Max 4' in the Namibia Desert.
"Tweet something like this ... @charlizeafrica please be a voice for 85,000 seal pups that will be clubbed to death in Namibia," the appeal suggests.
"If enough people can tweet her, maybe we can get her to see the tweet," it says, adding that "as everyone knows she is a huge animal lover".
In addition to the petition to boycott the ATWS, anti-sealing campaigners are also running other petitions, gaining support mainly through the internet.
By yesterday afternoon, more than 63,000 people had signed The Seals of Namibia's petition to stop the cull. In addition, 8,000 people have signed a petition to US President Barack Obama to stop giving Namibia money through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
"To continue this funding, at the taxpayer's expense, is unconscionable," the petition reads.
Nearly 1 000 people have also signed a petition to boycott all Namibian products until the Government abolishes the annual seal cull.
Source
Akuenje wasn't available for comment yesterday afternoon. The Ministry's director of tourism, Sem Shikongo, referred all questions to Akuenje and told The Namibian that it was an "an internal Government meeting".
Meanwhile, the anti-sealing activists are stepping their campaign. The Seals of Namibia on Wednesday appealed to its more than 4,000 supporters on its Facebook page to start tweeting Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron, who is currently filming 'Mad Max 4' in the Namibia Desert.
"Tweet something like this ... @charlizeafrica please be a voice for 85,000 seal pups that will be clubbed to death in Namibia," the appeal suggests.
"If enough people can tweet her, maybe we can get her to see the tweet," it says, adding that "as everyone knows she is a huge animal lover".
In addition to the petition to boycott the ATWS, anti-sealing campaigners are also running other petitions, gaining support mainly through the internet.
By yesterday afternoon, more than 63,000 people had signed The Seals of Namibia's petition to stop the cull. In addition, 8,000 people have signed a petition to US President Barack Obama to stop giving Namibia money through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
"To continue this funding, at the taxpayer's expense, is unconscionable," the petition reads.
Nearly 1 000 people have also signed a petition to boycott all Namibian products until the Government abolishes the annual seal cull.
Source
The seal cull in Namibia has started
By Michelle Simon for Earth Times - July 17, 2012
"However gruesome the methods used to club sounds, the killing of pups is the 'most practical and the only one applicable' in Namibia. A club strike on the head of a pup (although it may appear brutal) is humane if it achieves rapid, irreversible loss of consciousness and leading to death", the words of the Namibian Ombudsman, John Walters, as quoted in the 'The Namibian ' (26 June 2012), in delivering his decision on seal culling in Namibia.
A pup in any species is a baby, this being a fellow mammal, all I can imagine is this barbaric illogic being used to justify any over-population of any one species, including our own, after all we are the most overpopulated species in the animal kingdom, not only destroying the planet but draining all natural resources unfairly and are not open to the laws of nature, we have no other animal predators, we lock them all up and take away their wild habitats.
I've been an emotional water-fountain through all the video footage on the actual cull acts, the seals twitch with life, and the torturers head-back with an obvious zeal to again brutally club the obviously alive, in-pain seals over the head repeatedly, so much for Walters' "humane" club-culling. Seeing nursing babies as young as 7 months being cruelly battered to death in any life-form is a heartless tragedy.
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This week marks the start of Namibia's annual seal cull, which lasts till November. This year's death targets are estimated at 85,000 pups and 6,000 bulls. According to the Sea Shepherd, an ocean species protection vessel, "baby seal pups are clubbed, then often alive when stabbed in the heart and skinned. Clubbing begins when the seal pups are just seven months old, still little babies, and very much dependent on their mothers. Both Canada and Russia stopped and banned the practice of killing seal pups still nursing or less than one year of age. The European Union (EU) last year banned all imports of seal products due to cruelty. Total import bans on all seal products are now also in effect in the US, Mexico and South Africa - for a total of 27 countries."
Unveiling Fur and Body Part Trade
The cullers argue that they are controlling overpopulation of the seals, just watching them engaging in clubbing, when euthanized options exist without brutal violence. But that entire overpopulation argument is an obverse one to keep an entire industry shrouded, the industry of seal pelt trade, beauty product component trade, and body part trading. Omega 2 oil is also extracted from the seals, and their meat used in animal feed, the blood-economics of culling. Exactly, these battered seals are killed for human profit. Asia being a key market for selling off the male seal sexual organs as an aphrodisiac. Yet again another species lost to blood trade, the rhinos, lions, seals and countless other species. The cullers all get away legally with protectors like so-called objective ombudspersons passing public myopia widely and with legal clout.
Seal-processing plants in Namibia
The Cape Seals are hunted commercially off the Skeleton Coast. The killings take place within two reserves, Cape Cross and Wolf-Atlas Bay, where 75% (Sea Shepherd, 2012) of the pups are born. The seals are entrapped and then battered to death with spiked clubs.
Namibian Seal Trade King-Pin
A monopoly exists on the Namibian culling industry, with Hatem Yavuz, a Turkish-Australian, having a long-term contract with Namibia to purchase all the fur at a meagre $3 with a resale value of $30,000 (Sea Sherpherd, 2012). Yavuz is in collaboration with the local cullers, who own the two seal plants in Namibia. Yavuz went so far in 2009 in proposing that if the animal rights activists wanted to stop the culling and seal trade, they should consider buying him and his partners out at $14.25 million (The National, 2009). Why should blood-operators be allowed to exhort money from conscience citizens engaged in promoting a better humanity and ending brutality to all species? Governments should end this practice with outright bans and remove themselves from what is a farce of claiming seal-overfishing when all it is, is profit made on sadistic batterings. While the seals are being battered under the guise of overfishing, what of all the illegal overfishing and huge impacts caused by trawlers to the oceanic ecosystem?
Other cullers are Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Greenland. The European ban on the Cape Seal fur is one step, however the Namibian government's haughty response that the EU ban wouldn't affect them as they have other markets, is the point, all avenues for trade must be halted with bans globally. No demand, no supply! Of course, black market trade and poaching is bound to occur, but that's where state enforcement and vigilant policing comes in. If citizens groups take such an active role in protecting the planet, paid government officials have a duty.
Least of the utter illogical statements made by the Namibian ombudsperson was the one that seal culling has been happening for centuries. Well does his logic apply to the slave trade? Just because something inhumane was practised for ages that is no justification for its continuation.
Unveiling Fur and Body Part Trade
The cullers argue that they are controlling overpopulation of the seals, just watching them engaging in clubbing, when euthanized options exist without brutal violence. But that entire overpopulation argument is an obverse one to keep an entire industry shrouded, the industry of seal pelt trade, beauty product component trade, and body part trading. Omega 2 oil is also extracted from the seals, and their meat used in animal feed, the blood-economics of culling. Exactly, these battered seals are killed for human profit. Asia being a key market for selling off the male seal sexual organs as an aphrodisiac. Yet again another species lost to blood trade, the rhinos, lions, seals and countless other species. The cullers all get away legally with protectors like so-called objective ombudspersons passing public myopia widely and with legal clout.
Seal-processing plants in Namibia
The Cape Seals are hunted commercially off the Skeleton Coast. The killings take place within two reserves, Cape Cross and Wolf-Atlas Bay, where 75% (Sea Shepherd, 2012) of the pups are born. The seals are entrapped and then battered to death with spiked clubs.
Namibian Seal Trade King-Pin
A monopoly exists on the Namibian culling industry, with Hatem Yavuz, a Turkish-Australian, having a long-term contract with Namibia to purchase all the fur at a meagre $3 with a resale value of $30,000 (Sea Sherpherd, 2012). Yavuz is in collaboration with the local cullers, who own the two seal plants in Namibia. Yavuz went so far in 2009 in proposing that if the animal rights activists wanted to stop the culling and seal trade, they should consider buying him and his partners out at $14.25 million (The National, 2009). Why should blood-operators be allowed to exhort money from conscience citizens engaged in promoting a better humanity and ending brutality to all species? Governments should end this practice with outright bans and remove themselves from what is a farce of claiming seal-overfishing when all it is, is profit made on sadistic batterings. While the seals are being battered under the guise of overfishing, what of all the illegal overfishing and huge impacts caused by trawlers to the oceanic ecosystem?
Other cullers are Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Greenland. The European ban on the Cape Seal fur is one step, however the Namibian government's haughty response that the EU ban wouldn't affect them as they have other markets, is the point, all avenues for trade must be halted with bans globally. No demand, no supply! Of course, black market trade and poaching is bound to occur, but that's where state enforcement and vigilant policing comes in. If citizens groups take such an active role in protecting the planet, paid government officials have a duty.
Least of the utter illogical statements made by the Namibian ombudsperson was the one that seal culling has been happening for centuries. Well does his logic apply to the slave trade? Just because something inhumane was practised for ages that is no justification for its continuation.
Looking for motivation to sign pledge to boycott Namibia?
Each seal skin sells for $7.00 It takes between 6-8 skins to make a fur coat. One fur coat sells for $30 000.00
The money does not stay in Namibia to benefit the economically disadvantaged workers, who have their human dignity assaulted on a daily basis by beating hundreds of baby seals to death.
These uneducated people are exploited in the extreme. They are kept in position of squalor and poverty, utterly dependent on the meager seasonal slaughter in order to survive. They live in makeshift corrugated tin shacks and earn the equivalent of $8 per day for their labor.
There is no profit sharing scheme in place. They have no access to trauma counselling. Drug and alcohol abuse is rife. Domestic violence is common.
An independent report shows eco-tourism could yield THREE HUNDRED TIMES more revenue and create a multitude of jobs ALL YEAR ROUND.
Rather than uplift this impoverished community, the corrupt government of Namibia refuses to look into this viable alternative for their people.
Instead, without any scientific evidence, the government continues to blame seals for a decline in fish stocks and slaughters these gentle animals in their tens of thousands, thus upsetting the delicate balance of a fragile Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME)
By putting pressure on the country's tourism industry through a boycott, you will help us to force the government to change their cruel and unethical seal slaughter policy.
You can join the pledge to boycott Namibia here: http://tson.weebly.com/boycott.html
You can sign our petitions to end the madness here: http://www.thesealsofnam.org/petitions/
Please share this message as widely as possible. Namibia, her seals and her people need your support.
Thank-you
Team The Seals of Nam
The money does not stay in Namibia to benefit the economically disadvantaged workers, who have their human dignity assaulted on a daily basis by beating hundreds of baby seals to death.
These uneducated people are exploited in the extreme. They are kept in position of squalor and poverty, utterly dependent on the meager seasonal slaughter in order to survive. They live in makeshift corrugated tin shacks and earn the equivalent of $8 per day for their labor.
There is no profit sharing scheme in place. They have no access to trauma counselling. Drug and alcohol abuse is rife. Domestic violence is common.
An independent report shows eco-tourism could yield THREE HUNDRED TIMES more revenue and create a multitude of jobs ALL YEAR ROUND.
Rather than uplift this impoverished community, the corrupt government of Namibia refuses to look into this viable alternative for their people.
Instead, without any scientific evidence, the government continues to blame seals for a decline in fish stocks and slaughters these gentle animals in their tens of thousands, thus upsetting the delicate balance of a fragile Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME)
By putting pressure on the country's tourism industry through a boycott, you will help us to force the government to change their cruel and unethical seal slaughter policy.
You can join the pledge to boycott Namibia here: http://tson.weebly.com/boycott.html
You can sign our petitions to end the madness here: http://www.thesealsofnam.org/petitions/
Please share this message as widely as possible. Namibia, her seals and her people need your support.
Thank-you
Team The Seals of Nam
Visit the Seals of Nam for a list of companies and their products that are major contributors to the Namibian GDP (gross domestic product).
Contact details for these companies are provided, too.
