Dead Seals By The 1000 Near Walvis Bay, Namibia

[Linotype]

A few weeks ago I visited Namibia – Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. The stench around Walvis was terrible – on investigation I found hundreds (nay thousands) of dead seals on the beaches between Walvis and Hentjies Bay. The locals are blaming the Greenpeace guys because they've put a stop to the 'natural culling' that's taken place for a great many years. The Cape Fur Seal population has now reached alarming proportions, some say 2,5 to 3 mill in the region. Is this bureaucracy/red tape/treehuggers of this world of ours doing their very worst or what? Your comments most appreciated.

[Tilly2]

What is 'natural culling'?

[woofgang]

Have you looked at what the scientific evidence says? While the locals may seriously believe what they say, that doesn't make it fact and, with respect, if they had been getting a living from the seals, they may be prejudiced.

[LazyGun]

Last I saw, the official estimates of Namibia's Cape Seal population was recorded at 1.2 million, which is slightly at odds with this 2.5 -3.0 million claimed in your OP.

I would echo Tilly in asking for some clarification of the term "natural culling". And are the local guys attempting to claim that dead seals washing up on the shoreline would never happen if culling was allowed? They would be wrong, if so...

At this time of year, the harsh realities of nature dictate a lot of seal deaths, especially seal pups, so not uncommon to see lots of seal bodies, unfortunately.

[dannyk13]

Do you know over what period this accumulation of dead seals has occurred?Why have they just been left there? How have Greenpeace put a stop to the culling?I don't agree with anything that causes suffering to animals.

[Tilly2]

Perhaps you mean 'traditional culling', linotype.

[LazyGun]

Sorry, just one other point - Culling is allowed and authorised in Namibia. Quota for 2011/2012 breeding season was 80,000 seal pups.

[tamborine]

Seems its survival of the fittest

http://allafrica.com/stories/201312200969.html

[Linotype]

I never enjoy starting a paragraph with the word apparently, but I was informed that two seal 'factories' handling the seal "excess numbers" was also closed down by Greenpeace, obviously to the detriment of the local community(ies). More than one tour guide I spoke to assured me the seal population was way past 2 mill,hence my concern. Again, apparently, there was until quite recently a big demand for the seal fur from Canada, this has now fallen away. (By saying natural culling I should have rather said traditional methods, sorry.)

[B00]

"there was until quite recently a big demand for the seal fur from Canada, this has now fallen away."

Good!

[LazyGun]

Its not Greenpeace that have the set the culling limits though, Linotype. That has been set by the Namibian authorities, and was at 80,000 seal pups for 2012/2013.

The need for culling is always going to be controversial. What is the intent of a cull? You will always need to question the motivations of those calling for cull - how much of the motivation is monetary,either in an effort to "protect" fish stocks, or through selling seal pelts.It is rarely if ever out of some noble intent to stop prevent suffering of the seals themselves, and even were the size of the cull increased, you would still find dead seals washing up along the shoreline at this time of year - fact of nature.

In the case of seal culls, the debate is always going to be fierce, because it is a hugely emotive subject.

[LazyGun]

Sorry, last post ended a bit early.

Seal culls are hugely emotive, because they cull pups primarily, and seal pups are incredibly endearing.

[Tilly2]

....and badgers.

[dzug2]

seal pups are incredibly endearing.

Not when they've got their teeth sunk in your leg

[LazyGun]

Don't put your leg there then dzug :)

[Tilly2]

ditto badgers.

[Peter Pedant]

Yeah there is something called 'seal finger'

Killer seal pups !

With alot dead - it sounds like an epidemic
can give very cyclic populations (but not regular)