Marine animals in general are suffering due to the terrible ways we are devastating our oceans with plastic. Seals, are one of the many marine animals currently struggling with the invasion of plastic, ghost fishing gear, and litter along their habitats.
They are sadly common victims of entanglement. You would think that no one would be complaining about their population given their plight.
But in Namibia, there is an annual season of culling these innocent animals and over 80,000 seal pups are expected to be killed this current season.
The slaughter, which runs for five months, began on July 1st and will end on November 15th. Namibian authorities claim that the population of seals is too high and they are attempting to control it, but given what happens to their bodies, it’s more likely the incentive is profit.
Their blubber is sold in “health supplements,” their skin used to make boots and luxury items, and their bones are used in jewelry. As if just killing this many animals wasn’t bad enough, the tortuous ways they are killed are devastating.
The seal pups are separated from their mothers and struck on their heads with a club. Because they try to escape, the first blow does not usually kill them.
This means they are then beaten with the club repeatedly. The pups are so terrified that they may vomit their mothers’ milk. After the beating, they are stabbed in the throat.
On top of the 80,000 seal pups who are slaughtered, 6,000 adult seals are destined to be killed so that their genitals can be sent to Asia to be used in sex potions.
Although the culling season has begun this year, it’s not over. You can speak up for the seals and attempt to put an end to this. At the very least, we can at least make this the last annual culling ever. Sign this petition if want the slaughter to end!
This article was first published by OneGreenPlanet on 18 August 2019.
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