SPCA Namibia Position on the Annual Cape Fur Seal Harvest
This year, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Namibia, has issued a quota for the slaughter of 86,000 cape fur seals (80,000 pups and 6,000 bulls).
The Cape Fur Seal, Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus, is found along the western and south-western coast of Africa. Namibia is now the only country in the world that allows the commercial harvesting of fur seals. The pups are killed before they are weaned for their fur and oil, while adult males are killed for their genitalia – erroneously sought after in some countries as an aphrodisiac. Furthermore, it is alleged, without supporting scientific evidence, that seal populations have to be reduced because of competition with commercial fisheries and this is given as an additional reason for the killing of seal pups.
In order to harvest them, seal pups are separated from their mothers, herded into groups and killed by being hit on the head with heavy sticks and then bled out. Male seals are shot.
The SPCA is not against the sustainable utilisation of living natural resources as set out in article 95 (l) of the Namibia Constitution, on condition that this is done without cruelty to the animals in question.
The SPCA is strongly of the opinion that (1) it is very difficult to hit moving animals accurately and always; therefore that (2) animals may be severely injured and thus suffering before being killed; and (3) that both separating pups from mothers and herding distresses the animals. Alternative humane options do not appear to be available.
The SPCA considers that the annual seal harvest violates the Animals Protection Act, no 71 of 1962 (APA). Sealing activities cause ‘considerable disturbance, fear and distress to animals’. This is supported by publications (e.g. Kirkman & Lavigne 2010) that conclude that “whether best practices for humane slaughter can ever be implemented successfully in large-scale seal hunting operations, remains doubtful”.
The SPCA therefore does not support the utilisation and slaughter of Cape Fur Seals as currently practiced in any way.
