Pamela Anderson launches PETA's new anti-sealing campaign in Toronto on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)
AP
Pamela Anderson poses with a seal mascot as she launches PETA's new anti-sealing campaign in Toronto on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)
AP
Pamela Anderson hugs a seal mascot as she launches PETA's new anti-sealing campaign in Toronto on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)
AP
Pamela Anderson hugs a seal mascot as she launches PETA's new anti-sealing campaign in Toronto on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)
AP
FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2009 file photo, Pamela Anderson arrives to the 6th Annual Hollywood Style Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Katy Winn, file)
AP
Canadian actress Pamela Anderson unveils her new advertisement for PETA, condeming Canada's seal hunt at a press conference in Toronto, Ontario on October 23, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GEOFF ROBINS (Photo credit should read GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Canadian actress Pamela Anderson stands with a seal mascot as she unveils her new advertisement for PETA, condeming Canada's seal hunt at a press conference in Toronto, Ontario on October 23, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GEOFF ROBINS (Photo credit should read GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Canadian actress Pamela Anderson stands with a seal mascot as she unveils her new advertisement for PETA, condeming Canada's seal hunt at a press conference in Toronto, Ontario on October 23, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GEOFF ROBINS (Photo credit should read GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Canadian actress Pamela Anderson kisses a seal mascot as she unveils her new advertisement for PETA, condeming Canada's seal hunt at a press conference in Toronto, Ontario on October 23, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GEOFF ROBINS (Photo credit should read GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Canadian actress Pamela Anderson unveils her new advertisement for PETA, condeming Canada's seal hunt at a press conference in Toronto, Ontario on October 23, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GEOFF ROBINS (Photo credit should read GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
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Mz. Anderson and Heather M. are uninformed self promoters. I don't think they are intentionally mean spirited, they are just shallow headline observers who are opportunists seeking the limelight. If they did but a basic amount of research they'd understand how outdated the 'facts' they quote are and how destructive these promotions are on the honest and hard working dependants of land and sea.
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It is wonderful to see celebrities taking time to take action on social issues, however it is sad when that action seems based on ignorance of the subject, and only because seals are cute(which they are),making a person "angry"and"embarrassed", as any action against them is "barbaric and cruel".
Here's some facts from a biological perspective...the harp seal population in Eastern Canada is one of the best managed fisheries in Canada. Every year, the Department of Fisheries estimates the population of seal pups on the ice through aerial surveys. Based on this, they determine how many seals can be hunted.(White coats are NO longer hunted; this was banned since 1987). The Department of Fisheries monitors the hunt every year to make sure the killings are humane. How many other hunts do this? This species has an extremely stable population, as they have few natural predators. They are not an endangered species, the population numbering about 6 million, and as said in the article, only 300,000 are hunted a year (roughly 5%). Without the hunt,the seal population will increase so much as to upset the balance of its ecosystem, causing a decrease in their prey populations (such as herring, cod and shrimp, to name a few).If the hunt were to be banned, the population of the seals would simply be too much for its ecosystem to support, resulted in a cull (systematic killing) to keep the seals from starvation and bring back balance into the food chain. As the seals need to be controlled, isn't it better to use their bodies to feed and employ people rather than having their bodies rot? Just like in any other hunt, such as deer hunting or bear hunting, guns are used to kill the seals. In the very small percentage (2%) that may use clubs to kill the seals, the seal dies quickly, much quicker than a deer shot by bow and arrow, for example. There looks to be more blood because blood shows up better on ice than on the ground. (Hasn't any ever peed in the snow, and seen how well that shows up compared to peeing in the woods?).
Hunting of any animal is cruel, but what makes the Eastern Canada seal hunt any different than the others?
I have stated my feelings;I am my own person. :)
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Thank you for that very educated comment sammie_gee. I agree and wish many other people would with you. Let's look at it this way, would all these activists fight for a hypothetical animal whose parents are forced to leave their families for months at a time across the better part of a contient, barely being able to watch their young grow, having to labour in some of the most polluted places on earth, well this hypothetical animal is humans, Human beings from eastern canada who because of lack of employment have to travel for the best part of every year to places like the disgusting oilsands in Fort Mcmurray, just to make a living for their families. But for a lucky few who have the opportunity to provide for their families and stay home by taking part in a seal hunt which is a much more humane way of harvesting food than many other sources of meat. But Seal hunters not only having to worry about earning a living to feed their families but also if there will be a market for their product because of governments who are blind to the facts are banning imported seal products, they then have to put up with all this inmature bu115h!7 from people who have more money than brains, and because this they think that their opinions are more important than anyone elses. If you read sammie_gees comment and not be completely narrow-minded about this situation you will see that the seal hunt is not bad at all, I don't understand why these activists are so against hunters, I mean humanbeings have been hunting and eating meat on this earth for thousands if not millions of years, we are an Omnivore species on this planet, eating meat is not bad. I do agree that some ways we go about producing food in a inhumane way but seal hunting is not one of them. People get the facts befor you judge, I know a big breasted blonde whose way past her prime can be convincing, but seriously this issue is dealing with peoples livelyhoods.
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