From: SEALALERT-ZA
Date: February 5, 2008
Dear All Seal Alert-SA Supporters,
Finally I have had the chance to compile a list of possible supporters of Cape fur seals. We number 197. Not large by any standard. Although we have no active membership, many have financially supported - and for this I thank each one of you. (If any of you no longer want to receive updates just send a heading un-subscribe).
What's up on the seal front. After completing two reports for the
EU, I await the outcome of the EU Commissioners findings. It makes
me proud to know that a process that initially only included harp
and hooded seals of the northern hemisphere, has now equally
includes all species of seals (although it created much
in-fighting). Costing Seal Alert-SA its only sponsoring
organization facilitating its rescue of seals. At least, finally
the plight of the Cape fur seals are firmly on the radar of the EU,
and it is hoped a ban on imports will come soon.
Whilst my meeting with the Prime Minister
of Namibia did not achieve much, Namibia was at a recent EU meeting
on the seals.
With Namibia, with 70% of
the Cape fur seal population confirming that the December
2005 pup count of 205 500 pups had dropped 44% to 120 000 pups in
December 2006. Things are indeed grave for these seals
future.
Consider the following. About 200 000 seal pups get born in the
wild. 32% - 62% will not survive the year, with most dying of
starvation. At some seal colonies 70% wash off and drown from
inappropriate forced upon small rocks to bred in their first month
from birth, whilst large islands remain banned to them. That leaves
about 136 000 - 76 000 pups alive by July, prior to the Namibian
sealing season. To which Namibia awards an 80 - 85 000 pup clubbing
quota. In essence, not many have any hope of seeing their first
year of life through, if you add, starvation, jackal and white
shark predation, illegal shooting by 30 000 fishermen, entanglement
from fishing industry and drowning in any one of 65 000 trawl nets.
The chance of an adorable black new-born pup making it are slim
indeed.
Knowing
first hand what is going on along thousands of kilometres of
coastline in two countries (much of the coastline desert or
inaccessible), where even members of the public use their dogs to
attack baby seals washed ashore. The ability to offer these babies
some hope, is even slimmer.
Whilst I am doing everything I can to
address all of this in a hundred different ways. The bottom-line is
that each and every little life counts. To physically intervene and
save one will take 12 months of daily care, each at a limiting cost
of R10 000. When caring members of the public find a baby pup and
place the call, each call comes with a R10 000 burden of cost. 5
rescue call-out calls in a day R50 000. Whilst South Africa has 9
offshore seal colonies, just at one colony during December 500-700
wash ashore, every day of the month. 8 500 dead pups is not
uncommon from one colony. Most will have already drowned, but
a few do make it to shore alive. Literally, I could rescue
thousands, and I will not even go into the killing fields in
Namibia, where 200 pups walk together into the sand dunes to die.
To witness a baby marine mammal walk away from his survival the sea
to die in a hot desert. Is something quite haunting.
To the point of this email. I rescued 13,
days old baby seal pups this season. Each with a nightmarish story
to tell, and I mean you worst nightmare. In the past I had
incredible difficulty getting more than one pup at a time to
survive, as their survival is dependent on the strong bond
developed with you over the coming 12 months. They are terrified of
us humans. Over the years, I have mastered it, and last year
successfully got a group of three through their long rehab. On a
German wildlife TV program I was wildlife Nanny of the Month.
JT the first female successfully rehabbed
(seen above) although released onto the rafts and catamaran outside
the seal centre, refuses to go, and prefers to be by my side. She
is now 14 months old. 8 babies did not make it this year, but after
30 days, we have 5 surviving and growing stronger.
They have been called Berrick (the
bull-dozer), BB (Black Beauty), Tom and Jerry ( from the sick
carnage at Elands Bay) and little Robbie.
As you all know, I have a further 25-50
seals (larger ones) of all sorts of problems needing help,
entangled, starving, gun-shots and open wounds on the rafts
outside. On Saturday night thieves broke in, terrified the baby
pups, and stole thousands of rands worth of drysuits, wetsuits and
power tools. With an open roof, I can not get insurance nor afford
it. They are bound to come back. To increase security will cost a
further R3 500 (as an absolute minimum). Tomorrow, I will purchase
my last batch of fish for the seal pup rehab, which should last me
for the month of February. After this purchase of fish, my bank
account is kaput - empty.
Appeal for funding for outside wall and
ramp, did not receive the support it needed, and the funds received
was used to keeping the rehab going from day to day instead. A
quote to fibre re-glass the two internal pools (much needed) is
quoted as R16 000.
It would be safe so say I am somewhat
in a prickle financially (well actually have always been but after
a decade of doing this always somehow gets through).
So these are the facts, and my reality, I
love these 5 babies dearly, and would love to see them join the
other seals in the wild. It is the greatest reward saving
their baby lives. The rest as always is up to you. In the hope you
can help my banking details below. (PS - posting a cheque is also
fine).
Seal Alert-SA Postal Address. SEAL ALERT-SA, BOX 221, POSTNET, HOUT
BAY, 7872, SOUTH AFRICA
HEREWITH IS FURTHER
DETAILS FOR BANK TRANSFERS:
ZAR is South AfricanRand
More information to be able to send the money via
internet:
SEAL ALERT-SA ACC : 911 2201 321
BRANCH CODE : 632 005
SWIFT CODE : ABSAZAJJ
BANK : ABSA
SA NAT.CLEARING CODE
BIC: (SWIFT-CODE) ABSAZAJJ
Bank name : ABSA
Address : DELPHI ARCH OFFICE PARK, RAATS DRIVE, TABLE
VIEW
City/code : TABLE VIEW, 7439
Country : South Africa
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
www.sealalert.org
021-790 8774