New
Cycle Starts shortly for Cape fur seals
Send an email to Seal Alert.Sa to show you
are supporter of the cape fur seals
From: Seal alert-Sa
Date: October 10, 2006
Dear All Cape Fur Seal Supporters,
Seal Alert-SA works and reviews
its past successes based on the cycle of the seals. In a
month from now, pupping season begins again and with it
time to reflect for the coming 12 months.
Hats off to all of you that
supported Seal Alert-SA over the past year. I believe our
small group actually did the impossible. In trying to find,
the ultimate solution for Cape fur seals, we have put all
other well funded, with their millions of supporters to
shame. So what did we achieve?
• We started the cycle, with getting a pup rehab facility
together and to establish a method of group pup rehab.
Although the pups have shown that one bond-per person is
only possible. We did get two other pups very far into over
a quarter of their rehab. This gives me hope that we can
master a group pup rehab. Mumkin is doing great (sole
survivor from 8) and is fishing every night already. The
boat worked well, disentangling and saving over 400 seals.
• We got De Beers, the world largest gem diamond producer
to publicly announce their opposition to seal culling after
60 years of culling on diamond restricted land.
• Our complaint to CITES will achieve results, although it
may take some time yet (this was an extremely important
development).
• We really turned the heat-up on Namibia's sealing
activities (something none of the big anti-hunt groups have
been able to do for years), front page news, television,
radio and print. Good solid no nonsense hard-hitting
articles.
• EU Seal ban, I believe will eventually include Cape fur
seals.
• Our petition of over 30 000 (more than SA fishermen) to
ban guns at sea, will be effective, although it too will
take time.
• Getting seals back on islands, is almost a reality, with
head scientist agreeing to 40% of the largest island's
coastline.
• We also have a complaint with the City Council, regarding
restricting seals to small awash rocks (and now scientific
evidence that over-crowding on these tiny awash rocks leads
to 75% pup mortality in two weeks and is attracting white
sharks into bathing areas).
• We took IFAW and WWF-SA to task, including making sure
their major sponsor Sanlam Life Assurance is aware of their
lack of commitment to seal conservation.
We start next cycle, well
equipped and ready to go. This sadly brings me to the
following. It seems the greatest resistance to our efforts
came not from Namibia or the sealers, but the actual
organizations raising millions to help seals. So evident
has this become that a line now divides Cape fur seals from
Harp Seals. If you support the one, you dont support the
other. In the recent EU development I was told to back off
attacking those supporting a 2 species EU ban, instead of a
33 species ban it was always supposed to be. This
will never make sense, and as such I have lost a lot
of support.
One of my supporters just
informed me an email is going around that Seal Alert-SA is
using supporter funds for personal use. One can only guess
where it is coming from. Truly amazing how low these
organizations will stoop. I wish them luck in their attempt
to discredit Seal Alert-SA. Although I must admit, judging
by the support I get, this misinformation must be working.
If it helps convince you either way, understand that the
less support I receive the more seals die, that could be
saved and that none of the above would have happened
without Seal Alert-SA. I have dedicated my life to these
seals, and can assure all 100% goes to the seals. As a
one-man organization not a cent goes to admin, salaries or
any such things. Every cent either goes directly on saving
seals or equipment to save them. I live and breath seals,
and this you can take or leave.
As supporter funding has virtually
dried up. Seal Alert-SA which has always funded itself
since 1999, will continue to do so. It was hoped that by
the end of this year's cycle we would have a large support
base. Events and perhaps my style has prevented this.
Therefore prior to detailing next year's objectives, could
those who are still Cape fur seal supporters simply drop me
an email, as I wish to update my mailing list, with
only true seal supporters.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
