Does Anyone else consider Seals to be interesting animals?

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Of course I think seals are interesting animals.

All animals are interesting in their own way.

I think clubbing an animal to death is a really cruel way to kill it. There are more humane ways.

I don't think it's cruel, I think it's evil. I don't believe they should even be hunted.

"So a baby seal walks into a club"

(or bar)

hehe the *chans and TOTSE corrupted me....somewhat

EDIT: they can be cute.

The europeans have been hunting seals in newfoundland and the waters off the east coast for over 500 years, the Inuit even longer, its a how alot for these people subsist, to get though the winter, and they don't hunt the baby white fur seals or white coats anymore, they are only allowed to hunt ragged jackets, its getting harder to hunt them now because the ice is getting thinner earlier in the season, so seal pups are drowning. I know sealing is cruel, nobody like to see baby creatures clubed to death, but this is how people had to survive in this hostile environment.

Last edited by spudnik on 04 Apr 2008, 10:55 pm, edited 3 times in total.

reference to clubbing seals in the northern ice caps for fur. hence the 'clubbing seal'



I have something like that; same message but different pic as my facebook avatar.

Some seals are quite remarkable in appearance. Examples include the hooded seal:



and the elephant seal:

He sure did! It was a baby seal that bit him too! PETA get their money by using celebrities like Paul to pose next to white-coat seals that aren't even hunted. I am willing to bet that if the hunt really did stop, PETA's money would run dry.



In a seal hunt, not really. 90% of the seals we hunt are shot, but you have to shoot them in the head to kill them the quickest, if they are shot elsewhere and they swim away, they could drown after getting weak from blood-loss. The Hakipak is kinda like a big nail at the end of a board, swing it really hard and the brain is pierced and skull shattered, it's instant death and thus humane. it looks cruel because it is done on the white snow and makes the blood much easier to see.

Yes, I think a gunshot is more humane too. Something about the image of a person bashing a seal on the head with a club just puts me off.

Are these hunts controlled?

The gunshot are only humane if your aim is dot-on, Trying to shoot a seal in the head from your boat is really hard, you need really good aim.

These hunts are very strictly controlled and groups like PETA know this, but ignore it because they just want more money. It's like everyone knows that hunting white-coats are banned, but still use them as a means of protest because they know that 'cuteness' brings in the money.

My favourite.

There have been some excellent responses posted here. I like having Chibi Neko and Spudnik contribute because the need for people to make a living is not addressed in the sensationalist news coverage presented here in the USA. People do use the natural resources available to them wherever they live. I'm sure that the people of Newfoundland are not Ogres just because PETA and the news media like to present them that way. As long as the Newfies aren't hunting the seals to excess then I won't get heartburn about them working to feed their families.

By the way MissConstrue I like your new avatar. Its similar enough to your old one so I can see your posts easy still.

Seals are a'ight.
Northern River Otters are way cuter though and more fun to watch.
(Sorry for the subject change; please carry on about seals again.)

So, I can understand in some cold countries and more than hundreds of years ago seals were hunted for survival and used for everything. That makes since to me.

But why do we hunt seals now? I mean we have everything we need. I know some ppl out there still hunt them for food and survival.

I just don't understand why ppl in particular hunt for the fun of it. Even the idea of collecting heads from "wild game" freaks me out.

I find seals disturbingly familiar, but I can't quite pinpoint what that familiarity is. They seem to have their own unique personalities, facial expressions, and resemble a family pet even though they're wild. Just the thought of them being purposely killed doesn't make since to me and almost seems like a lower form of murdering.

riverotter, I also think River Otters are cool, but have not seen one outside of captivity. When I want to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1997 I was amazed at how large the California Sea Otters were. If you have the time and inclination perhaps you could start an Otter appreciation thread, it should get good response.