How to Kill a Seal Pup

Seals are powerful, wild animals and are to be treated with respect. Many of the animal rights groups in the world are seen photographed with the white harp seal pups. What the animal rights people don't know is that they are giving the seal pup it's death sentence.

In a crowded seal rookery, a mother seal knows that she has found the right pup by its smell. Researchers believe that seals have an amazing sense of smell on land which allows them to detect predators. When a person picks up a seal pup just to get a photograph, the mother seal will not be able to smell her pup and will abandoned it. The seal pup is now left to starve to death. Whenever you see a person holding or petting a seal pup, that seal pup is now dead.

Human handling of seal pups has caused many seals to be orphaned according to Dr. Bruce Mate, professor, Oregon State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/g03013.html

"The Marine Mammal Center warns everyone not to touch a seal pup as this may cause the mother to reject the pup. Anyone attempting to handle, disturb, harass or touch seal pups, could be fined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act which prohibits interference with seal pups and any other marine mammals. The Marine Mammal Center is reminding peopleto give seal pups a chance at life by not picking them up or disturbing them. We admitted more than 100 seals last year for a variety of reasons, including those that were separated from their mothers as a result of humans picking them up.” A seal pup depends on the rich milk that its mother provides for survival. If people are too close, the mother may avoid returning to it. Members of the public should be aware that it is illegal and punishable by law to pick up, handle or disturb a seal pup under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972."

Seal experts agree: "While seal pups are a joy to look at, do so from a distance of no less than 50 yards and they must not ever be touched. If molested or handled in any way by humans the mothers will abandon the pup. If the pup is handled by a human (or even a dog) trace of their scent are left on the seal pup."

By touching a seal pup you are often inflicting the harm you were seeking to undo! While before the mother may not have abandoned her pup, after it has been touched by a human she almost certainly will! Irish Seal Sanctuary-Marine Wildlife Rehabilitation http://www.irishsealsanctuary.ie/iss_via/vets/Seals/seals.html

Some animal rights groups such as the Sea Shepherd Society have this crazy notion of spray painting these white seal pups. Of course this will alter the pups smell and most certainly it's death warrent has been signed.

Spray painted seal pup

Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Society

Brigitte Bardot 1978

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