Grey Seal Hunt: Hay Island Slaughter 2011 (GRAPHIC)

HAY ISLAND: SHATTERED PEACE

What a horrible difference three days can make.

On Monday, the ProtectSeals team visited the baby grey seals on Hay Island, a nature reserve off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The scene was stunning: baby seals nursed from their mothers while older pups slept and played in the snow. It was an amazing experience, and one I won't soon forget.

Unfortunately, we knew the fate of the baby seals was uncertain. Days earlier, the Canadian government had buckled to pressure from the fishing lobby, and opened the commercial seal hunt on Hay Island. Still, bad weather had kept the sealers at bay. This was giving the seal pups precious time to learn to swim—the means to escape the hunters. With a bad forecast through the end of the week, we thought there was a good chance the pups would all be gone before the sealers could do their worst.

We were wrong, and we are devastated. Today, the weather cleared, and at the break of dawn, the sealers set off for Hay Island. The ProtectSeals team followed closely, determined to expose the cruelty.

Death at daybreak

As the sealers jumped off their boats onto the beach, the pups looked around, sensing danger.

This year, Fur Institute of Canada Director Pierre Daoust had arranged to use Hay Island as his laboratory. He initiated tests of a new baby seal killing weapon—a low-velocity rifle. But as the sealers shot seal after seal at close range, and still some needed to be shot again or clubbed, it was clear that his macabre test had failed.

In the background, sealers continued with their standard tool—clubs—and beat defenseless baby seals again and again in front of each other. One pup was struck on the side of his head. He flipped around, thrashing in pain, trying to escape the blows raining down on him. But to no avail—the sealers are far faster and stronger than the defenseless baby animals they work to harvest. One of the most disturbing sights was a baby seal huddled next to a dead pup, covered in blood. Too often, I see bewildered babies like this one attempting to seek comfort or safety from those who have already been brutalized beyond hope.

Victims and survivors

This year marks the thirteenth that I have observed commercial sealing in Canada, and it never gets any easier. On Hay Island, it is the hardest of all. Here, mother seals and their newborns are in close proximity to the slightly older pups who are the targets of this slaughter. Those who are slaughtered are killed in horrific ways, in clear sight of those who are too young for the sealers to legally take.

What is left of this former paradise is the blood, stretched in lines across the snowy landscape. The carcasses, lined up by sealers to be winched onto their boat, staring sightlessly towards the sky. And the few survivors, the red blood of their former friends staining their white fur. One of the most beautiful places on earth has once again become one of the ugliest.

But even as I write these discouraging words, I know that a change is coming.

Hope ahead

In 2008, sealers killed more than 1,000 pups on Hay Island. Two years ago, 200. Today, half of that. Our campaign is working. Markets for seal products are closing around the world, and the prices for seal products remain very low. Our ProtectSeals boycott of Canadian seafood is hitting fishermen in their pocketbooks, making them reconsider their former unquestioned support of sealing. Here in Canada, we are making progress too—already, half of sealers in Newfoundland with an opinion support a federal sealing industry buyout. That program would compensate fishermen for lost income as the seal hunt ends, and invest funds in economic alternatives in the communities most involved.

Canada can—and will—move beyond commercial sealing. And when that day comes, HSI will be there, on Hay Island, to celebrate with the baby seals.

Visit us at www.hsi.org

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• seal hunt
• hunting
• wildlife
• animal protection
• animals
• environment

[HSI]

We realize this slaughter is very difficult to watch and can make folks angry. Our commenting policy prohibits profanity and advocating violence, though. Feel free to see our policy on the main channel page and repost a family-friendly version of your comments.

[Sorvos]

Is there another way of immediate action against this slaughter besides donations? Because I really don't have money to donate. I'm sorry. Isn' there another way?

[HSI]

@Sorvos There are certainly ways you can help, and we appreciate your concern for the seals! There are many ways you can get involved -- for example, you can pledge to boycott Canadian seafood, or send PM Harper an email to tell him to call off the slaughter. For more ways, visit our website (it won't let me post a link) You can also take action on our Facebook page.

Thank you for your support, the seals need your help!

[HSI]

@Sorvos YouTube is having an issue with letting us post links, so if you could send us a message in our inbox, I can send you the links to ways you can get involved (without donating) or email us at info at hsi dot org. Thanks!

[Frenchcanadian100]

No one ever talks about how sad the lives of our farm animals are. At least the seals have already seen the light of day...

[johnbignell]

"....Canada's Cruel Seal Slaughter..." How is it anymore cruel then the death of any other animal? I don't get it? Why single out seals and not go after KFC and they chicken farms or the factory farms of fast food burger joints. Is it because seals make great marketing posters, no one is trying to save the city rats from their cruel deaths from blood thinning drugs that make them bleed from the inside. I could only support a seal hunt ban if there was a ban on killing all animals.

[rozl66]

"humans-the ultimate decider when it comes to this earth-ashley macisaac"

inagabs you are sadly mistaken with this thought process. MOTHER Nature has proven time and time again that she has ultimate domain on what is "decided" for life here on Earth! Your mindset is "God" like and quite foolish in my opinion. Man's greed will be humanity's downfall! Man is turning the Garden of Eden into HELL!

[portes03ful]

they hunt seal we hunt them in same way i would be fun

[TheLid23]

they do look good to eat

[MrBluelock]

Yummy