Dear All Cape Fur Seal Supporters,
 
      Below you will clearly see what Seal Alert-SA has been doing to save this species. Francois.

This Picture was taken
on 20th August 2005 at 10.35 at Cape Cross
 

      Namibian Travel agencies and scientists claim this is the largest Cape fur seal colony in southern Africa. Government then increased the pup quota in 2006 by 30%, and has awarded two sealing rights holders the right to club 50 000 pups a year on this colony for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, in which scientists claim 30% of pups born is a sustainable harvest.

 
These Pictures were taken
on the 10th August 2007 at 10.40 at Cape Cross
(2 years later on roughly the same day and time)
 

     Not a single seal to be found, less than 30 days into 139 day sealing season which started on July 1. This colony touted as the largest, is now extinct. (I have extreme close-up's as well). Sealing therefore cannot be sustainable as it causes extinction, like it did to all the offshore seal island colonies.

Seal Alert-SA, Press Release, July 30, 2007:

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

! See this fantastic presentation click on download = 18.9MB !

July 24, 2007 READ CORRESPONDANCE & LETTER AAP

 
Prime Minister Mr Nahas Angula and
Mr Francois Hugo of Seal Alert-SA
 

http://www.boycottnamibia.co.za/

Dirty fingers ???

Wolf and Atlas Bay is in the Spirregebiet Diamond restricted area.

FRANCOIS HUGO WATCH AND ENJOY VIDEO 3
&
Watch the beauty of the swimming seals playing copying video
by PVDD - Party For The ANIMALS - Holland - video
 
Small or Big, each seal gets the best treatment and care on their terms

PETITION

CONGRATULATIONS
SEA SHEPHERD JOINS FORCES WITH THE SEAL WHISPERER
South African Group Seal Alert’s Work Saves Thousands of Seals

Seal Alert-SA calls for an immediate end to Namibia's Seal Cull policy, and immediate reduction of 50% in Namibia's fisheries, and


!!! calls on the international community to respond !!!

I'AM ALONE IN THIS WORLD


I'AM BEGGING YOU FOR YOUR HELP

* . * . *

BOYCOTT NAMIBIA
SPECIAL SUPPORT NEEDED
BOYCOTT NAMIBIA

Right Honourable Prime Minister of Namibia Nahas Angula
Personal Communication from Francois Hugo :
Prime Minister of Namibia Replies Directly
to Seal Alert-SA's Anti-Seal Cull Campaign

Email address Prime minister of Namibia Nahas Angula : nangula@opm.gov.na
Cc: aiyambo@mfmr.gov.na ; knguvauva@mfmr.gov.na ; nmbako@mfmr.gov.na ; secretary@namibia.org.za ; hpohamba@op.gov.na ; wkonjore@met.gov.na ; mlindeque@met.gov.na ; amieze@met.gov.na ; b.beytell@mweb.com.na ; u.boois@met.gov.na ; namugongo@africaonline.com.na ; wamagulu@met.gov.na ; info@namibiatourism.com.na ; namibia@saol.com ; lmupetami@mweb.com.na ; ambanga@mfmr.gov.na ; namibia-highcomm@btconnect.com ; germany@iway.na

Write - fax - phone - email

Write to Namibian Ministry and Minister van Schalkwyk to authorise scientists at MCM and UCT researchers to verify, contact the Public Protectors Office and ask them to facilitate.

12 July 2007 "Namibian Baby Seal Clubbers Win - Endangered Seals Lose"

Write to travel agencies and tell them what is happening in Namibia our letter

OPEN LETTER FRANCOIS HUGO:
Namibian Sealing Industry Fails Constitutions of South Africa and Namibia.

Click on video below for Namibia's baby seal cull 2007 NOW

VIDEO NAMIBIASEALCULL2007 no 2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft_fbhbAXEc
8 July 07

Kill 'Them' All - Namibia Orders Sealers, As Environmental Conditions Worsen
Sealer Clubber Qualification. None.
"Sealing Industry sustain jobs for the unemployed, poor and destitute" - (quote) Namibian Permanent Secretary Mbako (July 4, 2007). Unskilled part-time employment.

What Can You Do.
Boycott Everything Namibia.
Cancel Tourism Plans to Namibia.
Pressure South African Minister to get involved.
Spread the word.
Support Seal Alert-SA.

VIDEO NAMIBIASEALCULL2007 no 1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiUxGwpf1bA
6 July 07

In an effort to halt the cull of 80 000 baby seals (right now), Seal Alert-SA releases a movie clip (Movie.wmv), Namibia Seal Cull 2007.
Demand equally that the Cull is halted until population for 2006 is verified.

Write letters - demonstrate - protests help for sure


"Dear All Cape fur seal supporters,
 
    Below is a letter I have emailed and faxed to the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries. Could you in an effort to stop the cull of these baby Cape fur seals, print-out a copy and either email it, or better still fax to it the Namibian Ministry, Attention Permanent Secretary Nongula Mbako on + 264 61 233 286 or + 264 61 224 566 or use the emails below.
 
    Or, use these links for local embassies, www.embassyworld.com/embassy/namibia1.html and  
www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=Namibia+Embassies&btnG=Search&meta
 
Please, Thank you.
For the Seals, Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA"

Send letter see his mail

READ MORE

See emails Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA July


!!!4 JULY 07 South Africa's Continued Protection and Concern For Cape Fur Seal Welfare

July 1 the culling of the cape fur seals starts
the largest slaughter
of
endangered animals and
the second largest seal harvest in the world
Namibia
Ignoring the US baby seal import ban since 1971,
ban by Mexico, Croatia, Belgium, Italy,
and most recently Germany and Holland.

URGENT REQUEST FRANCOIS HUGO
PLEASE WRITE
Fax to 0026461233286 - 0026461224566 for email scroll down

30 June 07
Why Is Namibia Culling A Declining Seal Population
* . *
Ignoring Namibia mass death of seals,
Namibia increases quota for three years
!!!Namibia Doubles Fishery Catch and Culls Endangered Seals
to Increase Fishing


ANIMATION


Cape fur seal by Ger van de Geer Holland


BAN ALL NAMIBIAN PRODUCTS

email Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
Spokesperson Seal Alert-SA Nikki Botha email


PRESS RELEASE June 26, 2007
Public Call For Namibia To Announce A Moratorium on Seal Culling Policy
PLEASE WRITE TO:

To: secretary@namibia.org.za
Cc: namibia@un.int ; lmupetami@mweb.com.na ; aiyambo@mfmr.gov.na ; ambanga@mfmr.gov.na

Dear Mrs Gray or Mrs Vanhees for attention his Excellency the High Commissioner Wilbard Hellao,
Attached letter by Francois Hugo

* . * . *

And write to embassies of Namibia
www.embassyworld.com/embassy/namibia1.html

www.google.ca/Namibia+Embassies

* . * . *

PRESS RELEASE June 25, 2007
"The Sickest and Most Sadistic Use of Endangered Marine Wildlife,
Yet Witnessed"
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA

PRESS RELEASE June 24, 2007
Namibian Sealers 'Snub' Dutch Parliament Ban on Seal Imports

Press release 21 June:
10 days to go to the annual Baby Genocidal Seal Slaughter in Namibia.



PRESS RELEASE 18 June 2007
The BIG Namibian Baby Sealing Industry LIE - 2007
Cape Fur Seals

email: 14 June 2007
PLEASE WRITE
Protected Seal Mutilation Via Standard Fishing Industry Entanglement


PRESS RELEASE 3 JUNE 2007
Namibia's Sealing Culling
Industry Exports
Risks International Human Health


ALERT annual baby seal cull due to start on July 1, 2007

With less than 30-days to go, to the start of Namibia's 2007 annual baby seal cull (due to start on July 1), the second largest Seal Slaughter in the world (by three sealing concessionaires)  -  Seal Alert-SA raises some serious questions that need answering by the Namibian Fisheries Ministry. See email Francois Hugo May 31 2007
Major Public Protest Against The Namibian Baby Seal Slaughter on July 1, 2007

* . * . *


SIGN THE PETITION
http://www.petitiononline.com/Rrancois/petition.html

Other support possible scroll down totally or via web





Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
Defender of the cape fur seals in South Africa


Huge Thank You to All who Help The Cape Fur Seals

Dutch minister Mrs. Gerda Verburg 3 April-16 May 2007
Also Dutch Parliamentarian's are going
to ban the import of cape fur seals
by Minister Verburg



       Newton's 3rd Law states, "for every Action there is an equal and opposite Reaction".

* thank you email by Francois Hugo *
Seal Alert-SA Catamaran Re-launch
Recovering Seals Home from Home

 
     Mumkin has chosen to stay, but goes to sea for days. In the pic above, he has just returned from a 3 day and night outing, and can hardly keep his eyes open. Off to the seal centre for his feed.

other specials
19 April Sometimes When Reaching Out to Marine Wildlife -
They Touch You, Instead
6 April Subject Seal Alert-SA growing really annoyed,
what are they so afraid of in the rescue of seals?


Mumkin Takes the Final Swim into Seal-Hood

Visit Seal Alert SA by Nikki Botha spokesperson


Nikki: "My favorite of Francois"

Press release 31 January 2007
Cape Fur Seals Flee North Into Extinction

Namibian Mainland Seals Fleeing Daily From Namibian Sealers

   As the only species of seal breeding on the African continent, Cape fur seals when first sighted by the earliest European explorers, were described as a "sight honourable to behold" and their island habitats as, "in mine opinion, there is not an island in the world more frequented by seabirds and seals".
 
         Named originally as the Cape fur seal, sealing ensured the complete extermination of these seals on islands off the Cape. By 1900, they were near extinction, with 99% of their former islands, remaining extinct to this day. No mainland colonies existed. This violation by sealers, forced the government of the day to place seals under the protection of the Cape Fish Act of 1893.
 
        Annual permitted population reduction culls continued on islands. By 1940s, 11% of the remaining seal population had fled to Namibia. By the 1970s, Seals had fled and established mainland colonies in Namibia, where 50% of the seal population had now settled. By the 1990s it had risen to 75% of the population, and with it came officially the name change, from Cape fur seals to South African fur seals, no doubt to explain the loss of seals in the Cape.
 
       Whilst less than 11% of today's seal population remains in the Cape with 99% of its former habitat (islands) still extinct. Namibia continues its annual population reduction cull on 90% of the babies born annually.
 
       Left in the hands of politicians, scientists, conservationists and driven by sealers in Namibia, Cape fur seals will soon flee increasing to its third African country, Angola. As it does so, and is unnaturally forced, its food source the further north towards the equator these fur seals are forced to flee, diminishes, as too, does its chances of surviving in a hotter climate on the mainland.
 
      Angolan Press Agency, reported yesterday that Angolan National Institute of Fishing will continue research on seals developing colonies on its mainland allafrica.com/stories/200701300483.html. A diamond-rich country recently out of a civil-war, there are already ominous signs, that not only are scientists from Namibia, South Africa and Angola in disagreement as to why seals are fleeing north, but that seal culling words, like "keeping the balance in the ecosystem" and Angolan Law on Biological and Aquatic Resources states, "the government must adopt the necessary measures to preserve this species", whilst being enlightened but its South African and Namibian sealing counter-parts that, "ANGOP has learnt that for seals to keep alive and in normal activity they need to eat at least four kilograms of fish daily".
 
     Science speak for population reduction cull policies. It is unknown what the state of the fisheries in Angola is, after Russian factory ships and EU purchased 36 million in a cash payment fishing access, but it is almost certainly worse than the 447 000 tons of Pelagic removed by South Africa in 2000, or the 25 000 tons by Namibia.
 
    Climate and fisheries wise, it makes no natural sense for seals to move north into warmer less abundant waters, unless the fear and disturbance caused by the Namibian sealing operations, becomes the unnatural over-riding factor.
 
    Although scientifically it is believed that more than 50% of the Cape fur seals diet consists of non-commercial fish species, at four kilograms per seal per day, and the fear that after South Africa, and then Namibia has succeeded in driven the over one million seals, from their waters, Angolan's fisheries will be forced to cope with a sudden influx of 1.4 million tons of consumption by fish eating seals. 
 
    As a one-man organization supported by seal supporters from over seventy countries, Seal Alert-SA, already struggling to cope with the seal rescues in just South Africa, has its work cut out for it protecting seals now in three African countries.
 
    It only real hope for the Cape fur seals now, is to have them unbanned from their historic islands in the Cape, and facilitate their re-introduction.
 
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
27-21-790 8774

Return the "robben" to their Robbenisland

A far simpler policy, would be to unbanned the islands, and baby seals would not then wash off annually from small restricted awash rocks.  

THANK YOU EARLE BINGLEY CVFA FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ALL
ANIMALS INCLUDED THE CAPE FUR SEALS IN SA

Earle Bingley active for the cape fur seals and many other animals


Jan 29, 2007 Pin-Pricks on a Map - too Large an area for Cape fur Seals

Great news in email Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA: Jan 19-22, 2007 :
UNITED NATIONS - Sea Shepherd etc.
The Business of Saving the Cape Fur Seals I - II

CONGRATULATIONS Edward with the
"ADOBE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD"



Francois 27 Nov 06
Seal Alert-SA Baby Seal Rehab Centre
under Construction
Help With Baby Seal Centre

CanadianVoiceForAnimals NEW
=
Web site via Earle Bingley for Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA

"A WONDERFUL FEELING "GIVING A YEAR OF MY LIFE"
For the Seals, Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA

1. On-line petition Stop-the African-seal-hunt:
http://www.petitiononline.com/STASH06/petition.html

2. On-line petition
Return the "robben" to their Robbenisland

Artist Ger van de Geer Holland gvandegeer @ hotmail.com

Voice of the Voiceless
I am the voice of the voiceless:
Through me, the dumb shall speak;
Till the deaf world's ear be made to hear
The cry of the wordless weak.
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

CAPE FUR SEALS ARE SHOT AT SEA
IN SOUTH AFRICA

- CALL FOR BAN ON GUNS

Seal Alert SA by Canadian Voice For Animals English


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE CAPE FUR SLAUGHTER CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW
& FOR POWER POINT SHOWS.
 
canadianvoiceforanimals baby Cape Fur Seal Rescue pps

canadianvoiceforanimals clubbing.pps
 

ANIMAL FOUNDATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
PROTEST THE ANNUAL SLAUGHTER
IN NAMIBIA, SOUTH AFRICA OF THE CAPE FUR SEALS:

Canadian Voice for Animals.
www.canadianvoiceforanimals.org
For SEAL ALERT – SOUTH AFRICA:
www.canadianvoiceforanimals.org/SASealAlert_Index.html

ACTION AGAINST POISONING
www.actionagainstpoisoning.com
and
Cape fur seal info some years ago in www.actionagainstpoisoning.com


Harpseals.org
www.harpseals.org/helpstop/protest/cape_fur_seal_alert.html


International Organization for Animal Protection OIPA, Italy
www.oipa.org/
Seal Alert-SA by OIPA
Slide have a look at this !!!
http://groups.myspace.com/capefurseals

http://www.sealalertsa.net/supporters.htm

ARGOS Animal Welfare Society Thessaloniki, Greece
www.argosgr.org

CIDAG Coalition, Greece
www.atlantisnet.gr/cidag

Marchig Animal Welfare Trust
www.marchigtrust.org/index.htm

Winsome Constance Kindness Trust
www.thewinsomeconstancekindnesstrust.com


Sea Shepherd Conservation Society



Essex Animal Freedom
essex.a.f@btinternet.com

Mumkin is the favorite seal of Francois Hugo


Petition Robben Island for the robben-cape fur seals

PLEASE WRITE FOR THE RETURN OF SEALS TO ROBBEN (SEAL) ISLAND - CALL FOR ENQUIRY



Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 11:47 AM
Subject: Whack, Whack, Whack - Time for baby Cape fur Seals



Whack, Whack, Whack
- Time, for baby Cape fur Seals -

Is "Seal Conservation" completely DEAD in southern Africa?

On 1st July Namibia starts its annual "harvest" or "cull" of 60 000 - still nursing on mother's milk protected baby Cape Fur seals. It is the only marine protected specie, and the only marine mammal, to still be commercially killed in southern Africa. Excluded are great white sharks, seabirds, turtles, dolphins, whales and other seals. For the next 137 days, seven-month old baby seals will be rounded up on two mainland seal colonies and driven far beyond the jurisdiction of the act. One within a diamond restricted area, the other in a nature reserve and open to paying tourists in the summer, and where every day a minimum of 430 seals will be clubbed to death to fill the 60 000 set government TAC quota. Since Namibia introduced it's controversial doubling of their quota in 2000 - sealers have not been fairing too well. In 1999 only 6% of the sealing TAC was exported. In 2000 it was only 69%, and after 42 000 seals were killed, each seal killed earned less than US $3. Perhaps it was because of the repeated mass die-off's the seals have been experiencing in 1988, 1994 and 2000. Where one third to one half of the population has starved to death. 60% less pups were born in the proceeding years and at least two consecutive years where entire cohorts of pups failed. Even the lengthening of the sealing season to July the 1st, where baby seals will now be clubbed to death one month earlier, has not had the desired effect in 2001, where sealers only harvested 34% of their 3 year rolling quota. To compound matters even further, Namibia exported 112 000 skins in 2002, twice the number of the government TAC quota, without a CITES export permit, consent or approval. Prompting CITES to consider whether or not Cape Fur seals should be selected for a Review of Significant Trade. Even stranger, South Africa who announced an end to its commercial sealing in 1990, secretly continued to seal and export thousands of seal skins in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2001, with CITES approval. Since 2001, there has been complete silence on populations, mass die-off's, harvest quotas or media exposure.

Namibia now has the distinction of having the second biggest seal harvest in the world, but unlike other sealing countries, as its CITES harvest exports show and as confirmed by the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries, sealing is conducted on only two mainland seal colonies who together are responsible for 75% of the Namibian pup production. Although it is claimed this is a sustainable utilization of a resource under the constitution, the sealing harvest records since independence show on average sealers only reached between 6% and 80% of the government set TAC quota - which means, every seal pup that was born in these colonies, was killed and still they could not reach the TAC set, even with an lengthened sealing season. In simple terms, Namibia is killing every pup born in other words an "animal genocide" of all baby seal pups.

Francois Hugo of Seal Alert-SA has been investigating the "conservation" of seals, or the lack of it, since 1999. To date all questions raised has remained either unanswered, ignored or simple lied about. Perhaps someone out there can take up the challenge and provide the answers to what is happening to this species of seal, first discovered on the Cape west coast on offshore islands over 5 million years ago.
1 Is the Cape fur seals in South Africa and Namibia one specie, that migrates between both countries, if so, why is it not being managed as one species, with a common policy?
2 Has there been in existence for decades a policy to disturb and ban seals from former historical breeding island colonies (when seabird conservation or status was of no concern during their intensive guano harvesting days), and is this the reason why to date the largest, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th largest islands have remained extinct to seals, if so, on what legal and scientific basis was this policy initiated and approved initially?
3 Since becoming a protected specie in 1973, southern Africa has commercially killed over 1.5 million baby seals, still nursing, over and above those killed in commercial fisheries or through natural predation or mortality, yet has not the US Marine Mammal Act, the US appeal court and US NOAA fisheries declared that the harvesting of nursing baby seals to be inhumane, and have therefore banned all imports into the US since 1977?
4 In 2000, Namibian fisheries admitted in their press release referring to the 300 000 seals that had starved to death, "The food dependent deaths of the seals is not surprising if it is kept in mind that the females suckle their pups on the colonies from birth to weaning. This is a period of about 10 months". (The lengthened sealing season since 2001, starts on July 1st, when pups are aged 7-months or less)
5 Is it true to say that 75% of the seal population, all the mainland populations of seals, fall outside the jurisdiction of the Seal Protection Act, and therefore all permits to harvest seals beyond the high-tide mark are actually invalid?
6 Confusion has surrounded whether this clubbing of baby seal pups is a harvest or a cull, to appease the fishing industry's consistently declining commercial fish stocks, if it has been a cull, what threat do nursing baby fur seals pose to fish-stocks and how does this reduce the foraging population of seals in the TAC fishing year?
7 Has commercial sealing on the mainland actually lead to an unnatural increase in the seal population when compared to non-sealing island populations since 1940, by creating an unnatural high in female pup numbers and over protection of adult cow seals, because no viable commercial market exists for females, and sealing is not commercially sustainable on historic island seal colonies as it causes direct island extinction?
8 Is it true that adult females were not harvested or culled, as such culling operation would not be self-financing, if true, is the commercial harvest of seals therefore to create employment or simply to self-finance the cull?
9 Has banning seals from islands and the subsequent harvesting of mostly male baby pups on the mainland's (because they are larger), the sole cause of all perceived seal population increases or proliferation issues?
10 Is it true, that these mammals with intense bonding with their young pups, are so disrupted and disturbed through each daily hunt, that the entire colony flees and do females return to mourn the death of their young?
11 Is it true that since 1993, the total seal population has been declining with mass die-off's reported in 1994 and 2000 and in other years not reported, and therefore should all harvest or culls not have been immediately stopped?
12 Why are marine scientists refusing to declare publicly that the Cape fur seal population is declining or report on scientifically what the causes and effects of the mass death of over 300 000 seals in 2000 has on the future of the population, for in 1994 El Nino was blamed and in 1988 a weather abnormality?
13 Has South Africa been harvesting seals in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2001 or later?
14 Has Namibia exceeded its government TAC quota by 26% in the last ten years, what action has government or CITES taken?
15 Is it true Namibia offered IFAW a "buy-out" of the sealers, and did IFAW fail to report this offer to its supporters and instead use "funded monies" to purchase land for terrestrial conservation?
16 Did TRAFFIC and IUCN/SSC Wildlife Trade Programme deliberately hold back vital declining seal population scientific data in 2004 from CITES Animals Committee?
17 Is it true that wildlife organizations have failed in their reporting or conservation work surrounding Cape Fur Seals?
18 What happened to the 11-member scientific committee's advice in the 1990 Commission on Sealing, that the Cape Fur seal population would double to 4 million in 2000, and treble to 6 million in 2010, when 23 former island colonies still remain extinct.
19 Is it true Greenpeace, World Wide Fund for Nature and International Fund for Animal Welfare supported United Nations Environment Program in 1999 to evaluate protocols for the proposals to cull Marine Mammals?
20 In 2000, Dr Abraham Iyambo, Minister of Fisheries stated, "I hope that many Namibians will find ways to increase the contribution of seals to food security and health in Namibia. To assist in this direction I attach a recipe for several seal dishes". Ignoring in the process that in 1997, health inspectors from the department of the Ministry of Health, impounded a large consignment, in which a sealer was experimenting in turning seal meat into sausages for human consumption. Mr Albert Brink of Sea Lion Products, one of only two concession holders in Namibia, "criticised the move by the health ministry to impound the meat, saying it was unwarranted as no health certification was necessary". One has only to read the report by Debbie Mac Kenzie, "Seal Products may threaten Human Health" to see how dangerous developments have come in Namibia. www.seashepherd.org/editorials/
Numerous email and letter requests to the Ministers of South Africa and Namibia, the Public Protector, IFAW, IUCN, CITES, WWF-SA, De Beers and to UNESCO World Heritage Committee - have all solicited no response and some cases a confirmation, only to receive nothing further.

If this is the trend, "of no reply", then clearly, "Seal Conservation" is a thing of the past - a failed idea or invention. The question therefore why has the public not been informed of this and importantly why is millions still being donated by members of the public in support of such causes? What is next, dolphins, whales, sharks, seabirds, are we like commercial fish species witnessing the complete collapse of our marine environment, as an accept international policy?

A hundred years ago commercial exploitation of the Cape fur seals on islands caused the near extinction of this five million year old species, its recovery and displacement onto the mainland has been touted as one of the greatest marine conservation success stories this last century, but once again as the century draws to a close, commercial exploitation has once again threatened the survivability of this specie, with conservation now turning into the biggest mass death of repeated mass starvation, the world and this species as witnessed. Instead of addressing this failed conservation and "sustainable" exploitation invention, its mismanagement is rather driven to concealment and animal culls that make no ecological sense.

For the past five years, I have been rescuing and rehabilitating days old baby Cape Fur seals in the wild, and I can attest to the fact that only in their 8th month from birth is there any "first sign" of a "self-foraging", with full or partial self-surviving foraging only taking place at the earliest in the 11th month from birth. It is my observation with baby seals from various colonies over the years, that during the Namibian Sealing Season, 1st July to 15th November, over 90% of the pups will still be nursing on their mother's milk at the time of taking.

For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA

*.*.*.*

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


“Seal Alert - South Africa” OIPA Member League
(OIPA is an NGO Non Governmental Organization associated to the
UN Department of Public Information)

Contacts:
Francois Hugo
27+ 21-790 8774
sasealion@wam.co.za
President,
Seal Alert – South Africa

Seal Alert South Africa Seeks Ban on the
Annual Namibian Slaughter of the Cape Fur Seals

Seal Alert-SA and Global Animal Conservation Groups Call On the South African Governments to Ban the Senseless Slaughter and to Strengthen Laws to Protect Diminishing Seal Herds

NAMIBIA, SOUTH AFRICA – June 13, 2006 – Seal Alert-South Africa has called on the South African Namibian Government to prohibit the annual slaughter of the Cape Fur Seals whose populations have declined by over 50 percent over the past decade. Seal Alert-SA is also asking that the Government enforce existing Seal Protection laws and to introduce more effective legislation to protect the species.

Since 1973, the Cape Fur Seal has been a protected species under the South African Seabird and Seal Protection Act. However, the Cape Fur seal population in Namibia is threatened by the practice of clubbing baby seals and shooting bulls for their penises, following that country’s independence

Namibia, South Africa - June 15, 2006 - Seal Alert-South Africa has called upon the world's largest producer of gem diamonds - De Beers and the Namibian Government to immediately put in place a moratorium to halt the annual commercial cull of protected Cape Fur Seals on their properties.
With a recent announcement by Fishing Minister Abraham Iyambo to slash the fishing industry even more this year, with area and seasonal closures and a five year moratorium on new fishing rights, it makes no ecological sustainable sense to keep culling Cape Fur seals, who are equally effected by the declining fish crisis.

Seal Alert-SA, founder Francois Hugo, said, “The South African Seals that have been existence for five million years are slowly disappearing. The preservation of the seals not only speaks to the issues of animal cruelty and welfare of a protected animal, it speaks to the protection of the environment for the benefits of present and future generations. Each year, over 300,000 people visit the seals on offshore islands. If the slaughter is not curbed soon, there will be no Fur Seals period!”

Seal Alert-SA is calling for the South African Government to liaise with authorities in Namibia and Angola with a view to the possible implementation of a unified policy of seal management.

Seal Alert-SA’s call for an end to the clubbing in Namibia is supported by animal and wildlife conservation groups, including Canadian Voice for Animals; International Fund for Animal Welfare; Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, Action Against Poisoning; Winsome Constance Kindness Trust, Seals-Turkey, and the International Organization for Animal Protection OIPA, Italy.

Earle Bingley, president of the Canadian Voice for Animals whose organization also is involved in efforts to protect Canadian Seals, said, “We hope that the efforts of Seal Alert-SA along with the program to support Canadian Harp Seals will generate an outpouring of global support that will result in governments implementing humane and environmentally conscious legislation to protect these creatures who are suffering terribly at the expense of commercial interests.”

SEALS ARE SHOT AT SEA IN SOUTH AFRICA

- CALL FOR BAN ON GUNS -

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Le Petit Chien"
Date: June 15, 2006
To: Subject: tourist info

Dear sir,

I just viewed the pics on how Namibië clubbes their seals of of unoccupied little islands.

Seals are forced now to live on the mainland, leaving the islands empty with no purpose what so ever?
It is a shame that this happens by yóur authority!

Hang on, ...it does not happen during tourist season..., because you don't want people to know or see?

The pictures of the rounded up seals for clubbing to death are so offending to people around the world,
that we cannot understand how primitively Namibiën authorities do carry out there bloodbath on innocent
creatures.

I want strongly and firmly to ask you to think about changing yóur way of approaching wild life as wróng as yóu do now.
This will bennefit not only defenceless creatures, but also the many humans who still have love for live.

Have you lost it? Love for live? Or do you only respect your own...

Let us stop the curse on ourselves by prolonging certain bloody actions taken !

Let us love and cherrish what we still have left from God's creation, for now, and our children of the future.

Don't destroy our fellow inhabitants of our mutual shared planet..

Respectfully,

Le Petit Chien
Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
Europe
perro10@xs4all.nl

Seal Alert - South Africa is calling upon
the Gem Diamond Industry and Namibia to follow South Africa
and stop the Annual Slaughter of Cape Fur Seals

Namibia, South Africa - June 15, 2006 - Seal Alert-South Africa has called upon the world's largest producer of gem diamonds - De Beers and the Namibian Government to immediately put in place a moratorium to halt the annual commercial cull of protected Cape Fur Seals on their properties. With a recent announcement by Fishing Minister Abraham Iyambo to slash the fishing industry even more this year, area and seasonal closures and a five year moratorium slapped on new fishing rights, it makes no ecological sustainable sense to keep culling Cape Fur seals, who are equally effected by this declining fish crisis.

Since 1988 the Cape Fur seals has endured at least 4 separate incidents of mass starvation die-offs, where between one third and one half of the seal population died from starvation. In 2000, when the Namibian Fishing Minister announced a doubling in the seal quota, after the increased hunt ended, he announced that Namibia had experienced its largest die-off to date of 300 000 seals. In response to this the Minister lengthened the Seal Harvest season to one month earlier and instituted a three year rolling TAC to give stability to the sealing Industry and facilitate that sealers could harvest their full quotas.

Since the introduction of the new Namibian Marine Resources Act of 2000, the Cape Fur Seals have remained the only protected species to still be harvested commercially by Namibia, whose list includes many species of seabird, all other marine mammals, including the great white sharks, all of which, except the Cape Fur Seals, may not be harvested, disturbed or have their eggs removed.

In 1990 the South African Commission on Sealing and the South African Government announced a moratorium on its commercial sealing policy and was advised that there is no biological basis to distinguish "Namibian" and "South African" seals and urged Namibia to implement a unified policy for seal management. The recent doubling of the quota and increased sealing season has further bought Namibia into further dispute with the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the US Department of Commerce and the US Fisheries NOAA policies. Since 1977 the US has banned the imports of seal pelts from South Africa and Namibia, as its regulations state that the taking of seal pups still nursing is inhumane.

Although 60 000 pups and 7000 bulls are harvested, making this the second biggest seal harvest in the world. Namibia's sealing industry is basically divided between two main concession holders, who harvest equally Cape Fur Seals within the diamond restricted area of the sperrgebiet and a nature reserve on the Namibian mainland, creating part-time employment for less than 160 workers. The fishing rights of these two concession holders is due to expire at the end of 2007.

As the annual Seal Harvest is due to start on 1st of July, Seal Alert-SA is calling upon the land owners of Namibia and the Namibian/De Beers diamond mining partnership (Namdeb) to seek a ban on all sealing on their mainland properties.

Cape Fur Seals have existed on the offshore islands along the coastline of southern Africa, for over 5 million years, and it is only through sealing on the islands in the past, which has caused this specie of seal to flee to the mainland, where today all commercial sealing is undertaken. Seal Alert-SA therefore urges Namibia to follow the example of South Africa in 1990, and finally put an end to the Seal Harvest on the Cape Fur seals in this entire southern African region.

Francois.

To mail a donation directly to Seal Alert-SA:
 
Seal Alert-SA,

Box 221

Postnet

Houtbay 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



EXTRA INFO HOW TO FILL UP:

1st Page:
First select country of destination:  South Africa
Then fill in at IBAN:  9112201321 (which is account number SEAL ALERT-SA)
 
2nd Page:
Again account no: 9112201321
Name, address etc
BIC:  ABSAZAJJXXX (which is 11 letters: Swift code + XXX and not the 6 digit Branch code)
Name, address bank appear automatically

For the Seals

Maria Daines sings for the animals

Action Against Poisoning