PIETIE AND HIS FRIEND
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Seal Alert-SA
Press Release, September 20, 2007
Thank you to those that have written to
the DG. Mystery regarding the sudden disappearance of this good
seal ambassador deepens. Blitz the seal's keeper/guardian is deeply
distraught and many who were opposed to his feeding of this bull
seal, feel threatened that he may seek revenge in a violent or
criminal way.
There is clearly double standards at play
here. Big white-owned businesses who exploit the seals and tourists
alike, by charging them a fee to see the seals on the nearby
offshore island seal colony (the seal operators) who
contribute nothing to seal conservation from their multi-million
dollar profits, were the loudest group condemning the enterprising
activities of Blitz with this seal.
In turn Marine and Coastal Management has
doubled standards writing into law in 2000 making it a criminal
offence to feed a seal, yet permit 16 white-shark cage diving
operators to each take out 25kg of bait, with which to tease
man-eating sharks, for the pure pleasure of exploiting both shark
and tourists alike to the tune of millions in profits
annually.
Yet when a disadvantaged member of the
locally community, who has been forced to experience the
over-exploitation of the fisheries he grew up in, attempts to earn
a similar and legal means of generating an income for him and his
family in a sustainable way. Suddenly everybody opposes him.
Is the real reason behind this seals
removal, this competition factor Blitz and his seal, might have on
their existing multi-million profits?
The fact of the matter, is this seal has
been around for years, and there is no recorded incident of this
seal every being aggressive or biting anyone, although has
been repeatedly provoked. Whilst ordinarily I agree wildlife should
not be fed, this was a unique and special circumstance and
relationship. A good ambassadorial activity in the making for both
seals and humans.
Mike Meyer the MCM official alleged to be
involved in removing the seal and lethally injecting it. Is well
know for his disregard for these seals welfare. He has repeated
blown-up whales that could have been floated off stranded
beaches, and has a long history of destroying so-called "problem"
seals. I personally have witnessed this many times. In almost every
case, he acted without authority, he was also involved in
permitting a seal exporter to capture and retain live seals in very
small crates, and then assisted in the cover-up and death of some
of these seals. MCM officials had allegedly told Blitz that they
would shoot the seal if he did not stop feeding it.
Seal Alert-SA contacted Mike Meyer, where he
told me, he had nothing to do with the removal or killing of
this endangered seal. Although he knows about the seal, he claims
he did not kill it or remove, and has no idea who did. This is
somewhat strange, as another MCM official who works at the Head
Office in the Financial department, told a trader in Hout Bay
yesterday, that Mike Meyer came and captured the seal and injected
it.
What is disturbing is that if this indeed
happened, and now MCM Officials are covering it up, then its
clearly wrong. Secondly a local community forum, representative of
the community, harbour and police had discussed this Blitz/Pietie
situation and had come up with a plan to place a fence around Blitz
and the seal. To allow him to continue earning an income whilst the
public remained safe. Last, from my experience with thousands of
bulls, at this time of year, bulls return to offshore colonies,
living of their fat reserves, whilst they fight for and command
harems, who then mate in December and afterwards begin the moult of
the old coat, and by March disperse to new hunting
grounds.
Nature in all probability will have
ensured Pietie the bull seal stays away from the harbour for months
until March, where upon in all likelihood this seal will have
changed his behaviour, forgotten the harbour and remained a
wild seal.
Seal Alert-SA believes the authorities
need to actively engaged in assisting the previously disadvantaged
community, who cannot afford multi-million dollar tourists boats to
take tourists to see the seals. Crime is at an all time high, as is
unemployment.
It is therefore disturbing that such a
secret activity took place, if indeed it did. The question is did
it, and what is the departments position on this, as Blitz is
currently attempting to replace Pietie, by encouraging a younger
seal to take his place.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
27-21-790 8774
----- Original
Message -----
From:
Sealalert
To:
pyako@deat.gov.za ;
Monde
Mayekiso ;
mwillemse@deat.gov.za ;
Theressa
Akkers ;
Beryl
Batties
Sent:
Wednesday,
September 19, 2007 9:22 PM
Subject:
Good
'Seal Ambassador' Taken-Out by Marine and Coastal Management
Official
Seal Alert-SA Press Release, September 19, 2007
Could Seal Supporters please write to
Director General of Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Pam Yako (pyako@deat.gov.za) and politely ask her to investigate
the full circumstances for this illegal killing of an endangered
Cape fur seal, that has become international known and
famous.
Good 'Seal
Ambassador' Taken-Out by Marine and Coastal Management
Official
Hout Bay Harbour Landmark Pietie
the Cape Fur Seal Bull
Over the
years, taking tourists from Hout Bay harbour to see the endangered
Cape fur seals off Hout Bay has become one of the top ten
attractions in the western Cape. Earning for its six big business,
exclusive seal-island tour boat operators, millions in annual
ticket sales.
Over the past year, a very special
relationship developed between a previously disadvantaged
out-of-work fishermen >from the local community, who is also
alleged to be a known robber of the visiting tourists. Blitz,
as he is known had formed a unique relationship with one very large
300kg bull seal, whom he had befriended and nicknamed Pietie.
In official literature Marine and Coastal
Management Officials claim Cape fur seals are extremely dangerous
and aggressive.
Pietie, the endangered Cape fur seal bull,
would wait each morning for Blitz to call him in the harbour
water, where upon he would haul out on the quay-side, and proceed
to Blitz. Where for the remainder of the morning, Pietie would
allow Blitz to handle him, pull his ears, open his mouth and feed
him by hand, to the delight of visiting children and tourists.
Pietie even allowed Blitz to sit on his back, to the amusement of
the tourists.
This bull seal was a permanent fixture on
the waterfront. With Blitz, an enterprising local would take
advantage of the crowds that gathered by passing a hat around and
asking for money "to buy some fish for my seal". It was a unusual
relationship that worked for both man and beast.
This unique relationship was on
everybody's lips in the harbour, with even seasoned fishing
skippers having to re-think their attitude and fear of Cape fur
seals, such was the ambassadorial strength of this
partnership.
Plans were even underway with the
Community Policing Forum, where it was decided to place a fence
around the bull seal, where Blitz would be the only one allowed
into the fenced area to feed and love his new found seal-friend.
Blitz had, thanks to Pietie the seal, been finally able to turn his
life around, support his family and earn a honest living.
Sadly, officials tasked with protecting this
endangered listed CITES seal species, protected under the Seabirds
and Seals Protection Act of 1973, stepped in, and decided to remove
this bull seal and destroy it by lethal injection.
This official from Marine and Coastal
Management, is neither qualified as a veterinarian to administer a
lethal injection or is permitted to kill an endangered protected
seal without just cause. His actions were therefore illegal.
Unfortunately for Pietie the Bull seal, he was
just days away from re-turning to his offshore colony, where he
would use and live-off his accumulated excess weight, to win the
right to command an offshore harem of cows and begin his annual
mating season. Thereafter he would moult, and in all probability
return to a life on the open sea and offshore islands.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
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