The Pros And Cons Of Seal Hunting

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Harp seal pups are notorious for their big black eyes and fluffy white fur. These beautiful creatures have an unfortunate future ahead of them. They are part of the largest slaughter of any marine mammal species on the planet (Liberation BC, 2013, para. 1). Every year hundreds of thousands of baby seals are killed so that their skins can be made to make coats, collars, cuffs, and trinkets. The photo selected is successful in capturing the harsh reality of seal hunting today. For the purposes of this article, all references to seals shall imply harp seals.

Commercial seal hunting is an international issue and this photo is able to highlight the great massacre that happens once a year. This photo depicts a man throwing seal skins on several others, this
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There have been many accusations regarding seal hunting and if it can be acceptably humane. It has been said that humane killing isn’t a priority and is rarely achieved (International Fund for Animal Welfare, n.d, para. 5). The man shown in the photograph gives off the impression that his job doesn’t affect him and is trying to complete the job as quick as possible. Due to many factors, such as, speed, high wounding rates, and ineffective monitoring, humane killing is becoming a challenge (International Fund for Animal Welfare, n.d, pg. 1). The reason speed plays a huge role in this business is because there is a small hunting window to achieve maximum results. With the limited amount of time given this creates room for careless killing. Wounding rates have increased through the years, leaving the seals injured for a significant amount of time. By doing so, the seals suffer longer than needed in order to sell more. According to International Fund for Animal Welfare, effective monitoring is impossible because a large amount of boats disperse over hundreds of kilometers (International Fund for Animal Welfare, n.d, para.

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