Sealalert
Fri,
11. Jan 2008
Dear All Cape Fur Seal Supporters,
Positively, Seal
Alert-SA
2008
Francois Hugo of Seal Alert-SA with a rescued new-born baby
Cape fur seal
2008 marks a decade for
me in my work with saving the Cape fur seal as a species in
two countries at the southern tip of Africa. Positively
Seal Alert-SA moves into 2008. As I approach the age of 45
in March, they the Cape fur seals, have become my life, not
just a part, but my complete life. My eye-sight failing a
little and my hand not so quick as it used to be, the cold
water even colder. Not a day has gone by that they are not
in my life, I have held, loved, saved, disentangled, fed,
swim with and enjoyed more interactions with these wild
seals than anyone on this planet. It has been indeed an
absolute honour, made possible by each of you the backbone
to Seal Alert-SA, its dedicated group from around the
world, rarely mentioned by name, seldom in the media
lime-light, but always there, expecting nothing in return.
This email, says thanks to you. On my behalf, and most
importantly on behalf of the seals.
Whilst it is impossible to mention each of you by name
(then my updates would get really, really long), I want you
each to know, that you are far more special than I could
ever be. Because even with all the lime-light I get and the
gratification with working with these seals everyday, I
feel despondent and ignored at times. You on the otherhand
get nothing, and yet it is you, which makes saving their
lives possible. You, are their saver. Its that simple.
My work for wild seals, a difficult and demanding constant
task, has made me not a people's person. I cannot on the
one hand look into dying seals eyes and in the other not
harbour immense anger. I lost those people skills, if I
ever had them long long ago. Forgive me for this omission.
I have learnt to just do the job and let my actions speak
for my words on your behalf.
The earliest account I can find of the intentional abuse of
this species at the hand of man dates back to 100 000 years
ago, when the Khoi-San used seal pups for food and oil,
instead of saving them. Nor did occur to Portuguese
explorer Vasco Da Gama in 1497 where, we saw about three
thousand, large and small, and we shot at them from the sea
with cannons another account comes in 1608, where Cornelis
Metelief from the Netherlands, our men amused themselves by
clubbing fully a hundred seals to death. 500 years later,
it seems very little has changed. How it saddens me to
think what this species has gone through each and every
day, over these centuries and how many millions have died
unnoticed. A wild animal that urinates in fear, just being
picked up lovingly.
Recently the Guardian Newspaper in the UK voted Paul Watson
and Caroline Lucas amongst the top 50 people who are most
likely to change the world. The moment I read this I
thought of you. Seashepherd has also announced the Ian
Campbell the former Australian Minister of the Environment
has joined the board of Seashepherd, along with Horst
Kleinschmidt former director-general of Marine and Coastal
Management in South Africa, and a director of IWC. Once
again I thought of the nameless you.
Whilst Horst during his office rejected Seashepherd and had
me arrested for saving seals numerous times, whilst
offering a bounty for fishermen to drown seals. It is
through you that Horst and Seashepherd are together. Paul
Watson's base in Australia, from which he gathers his
support and mounts his anti-whaling operations in the
Antarctic, is once again brought about by a very special
seal supporter in Australia. Whom was first introduced by
me to Paul. Likewise, when both his ships were de-flagged
and unable to secure a nationality, a Seal Alert-SA seal
supporter came to the fore and made it possible in the
Netherlands. I remember the fight well, with Caroline
Lucas, and how in her written declaration, the action that
may well lead to ending seal clubbing, resulted in her
omission to exclude Cape fur seals, the second biggest seal
hunt in the world. Likewise was our initial none
involvement in the recent EU Seal Hunting review. So whilst
I commend Paul and Caroline, they truly deserve the honour.
It is you, always behind the scenes, that makes things
happen.
Likewise without Paul, there would be no Seal Alert-SA or
any of its accomplishments. He will always be Seal Alert-SA
number 1 supporter.
To which, as a recent article quoting the Canadian Sealing
industry said, "One thing I can tell you is that if fur is
not fashionable on the runways of Paris and Milan, it's not
going to be fashionable anywhere," he said."It's got a
tremendous foothold in Europe, and most people close to the
situation feel that a ban by other countries is imminent,
that it's gone too far. It would be unpopular now for a
member of parliament in a European country to support the
hunt."
To this end, herewith the latest. The Europe Food Safety
Review on Seal Hunting, and there is a public questionnaire
to log in and answer. Enjoy the fruits of your efforts to
date. Positively Seal Alert-SA 2008, backed by the best
supporters in the world. Flippers off to you all.
Get ready for additional monetary demands >from me in
2008, (not massive ones but demands never the less), as we
have a working rescue home to complete for the seals, as
just the start, and as you all know I cannot do it alone,
nor do I want to nor should. So start writing Seal Alert-SA
down in your monthly budgets, seal please.
PS - We managed to snatch the last two terrified surviving
seal baby pups from the sick Elands Bay saga, and are now
safe, tummies full and are now enjoying their first few
days of life, with three other siblings in your Seal
Alert-SA centre.
A link to the full report is included below.
www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/sealswelfare.pdf
or go to www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSAseals.pdf
and the very important
questionnaire:
eceuropaeu/environmbiodiversityanimalwelfaresealssealhunting.htm
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
