ALL NEWS FROM FRANCOIS HUGO SEAL ALERT-SA

From: SEAL ALERT-SA
Subject: Seal Alert-SA Exposes Namibia's Sick Seal Trophy Hunting Business
Date: July 30, 2007 3:13:04 PM

Seal Alert-SA Exposes Namibia's Sick Seal Trophy Hunting Business

International tourists enjoying close-up viewing of Cape fur seals at Cape Cross in Namibia
 

        On the July 22, the Rapport Newspaper ran an article that claimed the nearby luxury lodge situated a few kilometres from the ecologically sensitive area of the Cape Cross Seal Colony, which is co-owned by Namibian Fisheries Official Dr Burger Oelofsen, was offering its guests hunting trips to shoot CITES listed endangered seals for fun.
 
        Quick to reply. Manager of the Cape Cross Seal Lodge Leon Swanepoel wrote in the Namibian newspaper (July 25), "The whole story was wrong, and all the information was twisted".
 
        On the same day, it is reported that "Namibian 'Hunter's Fortune' brings boost to tourism industry" and states Namibia is a viable animal hunting industry with a high standard of hunting ethics.

 
International hunter with Kataneno African Trophy Hunting shooting a endangered Cape fur seal bull
 

       Seal Alert-SA can now reveal that Kataneno Hunt on the African Trophy Hunting website www.africantrophyhunting.com advertising in German, French and English openly offers Hunting Packages to shoot Cape fur seals. Hunting of Cape fur seal bulls for trophies takes place between September 15 and November 15 and costs 860 euros per trophy.

 
Francois Hugo of Seal Alert-SA enjoying the company of large bull seals
 

       What is particularly disturbing and sick, is that this is neither hunting or even a fair chase. Crawling up to shoot an asleep bull seal in full camouflage gear can  hardly be considered sportsMANlike. Hell, as with the pic at the top tourists could instead drop a rock on the seals head.  Clearly if this is a "high standard of hunting ethic", I would hate to imagine was a low standard is.

Bull Seal penis hanging up to dry
 

      What is in fact criminal, is that Namibia is already culling the seals under its so-called sustainable use policy and claims to give out Seal Rights harvesting quotes based on the latest scientific advice. In 2006 and 2007, 2008 and 2009, it has set the bull seal quota at 6000 per annum. These 6000 bull seal quotas harvested primarily for their far east penis trade, for poor endowered Asian men to obtain increased virility, is not to be confused with the hunting of trophy hunters.
 
      Scientists for years have questioned Namibia's sustainability of the bull quotas, including the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) who have stated are very concerned. Equally listed by the Convention in Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) in its Appendix II listing, which states, "Although not necessarily now threatened with extinction may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulations in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival". I repeated the word EXTINCTION.
 
      According to Namibian Tourism over 150 000 foreign visitors come to Namibia, 45 000 of them from Germany. Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr Abraham Iyambo needs to immediately quantify and explain how many of the 150 000 foreigners are out hunting trophy bull seals, and explain how this is permitted on top of the annual 6000 bull (penis) harvest granted to sealers?
 
      Failure to do so, the Minister should resign.
 
      With Germany, the Netherlands, United States, Italy, Croatia, Belgium, Mexico and South Africa banning the import of these seal products. One has to question and investigate how these seals as trophy's are being smuggled into these various countries. 
 
      Seal Alert-SA has alerted various law enforcement agencies, including NOAA agents already tracking Cape fur seal shipments.
 
      Eleanor Momberg's article, "Culling Increases Namibian Seal Population" published in the Sunday Independent and Weekend Argus should be read by all, most of which the Namibian Ministry, and an immediate announcement made to stop all seal killings in Namibia.
www.iol.co.za/index
 
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
www.sealalert.org 

Tags: seal alert sa namibia trophy hunting baby cull