14 DAY TRIAL // About 90,000 baby seals get killed in a gruesome manner in Namibia on a yearly basis, in order for various companies to be able to sells items of clothing which supposedly are made to be haute couture by the fact that seal fur goes into manufacturing them.
Green-oriented organization Sea Shepherd explains how most of the killings occur in Cape Cross, where these animals should supposedly benefit from legal protection as the area is designed to function as a refuge for seals and considered to be a wildlife reserve.
Moreover, Cape Cross is a highly important tourist attraction, which is why environmentalists and conservationists alike cannot really wrap their heads around the idea that the Namibian government would much rather allow these animals to be slaughtered for money, rather than simply make a profit out of bringing more tourists to these regions.
Rest assured, the opportunity of watching seals in their natural habitats would appeal to many, so adding to the national economy and leaving these animals carry on with their lives are two things which need not necessarily exclude each other.
In an attempt to raise awareness with respect to these money-driven killings, Sea Shepherd recently sent their O.R.C.A. Force unit to the country of Namibia.
Speaking about his and his team's mission, Laurens de Groot explained how, “Last year a government official called us ‘Enemies of the State’ for interfering with their commercial sealing operation. That statement made us even more determined to come back and bring an end to the slaughter of the endangered cape fur seals.”
Having reached their destination, the Sea Shepherd O.R.C.A. Force unit found that, “The sealers and the government spent more money on security than ever before with armed patrols around the seal colony, a convoy of patrol cars surrounding the truck carrying the slaughtered baby seals, and guards with dogs patrolling the seal factory perimeter."
Furthermore, "They even sent out their brand new navy vessel ‘The Elephant’ to patrol along the Cape Cross coast. It’s their dirty little secret they don’t want anybody to know about.”
Hopefully, all the negative publicity this massacre is now getting will cause the Namibian government to reconsider the way it feels about and treats seals, as people who happen to like animals will probably think twice from now on before going ahead and booking a flight to go visit this country.