expose motivate protect
 
Namibian PM responds to campaign groups & tourists reaction to the killing of seals
 
In July 2007 ecoeye went to Namibia to get the latest information on the plight of the seals. From filming and watching seal behaviour on the beaches where the clubbing occurs we noticed there were very few pup’s on the beaches. Locals who know the seals told us that the young pups have learnt not to come too far up the beach so that they can escape to the water easily, but the result is they can’t suckle from their mothers and are getting very thin. Tourists are being used to habituate the seals to human contact and then the clubbers can take advantage of this when they go to kill them. Large patches of blood are left on the beach and on the pathways where the tourists walk. They are told by the park officials that these are the result of Hyena or Jackal kills. As well as this we recorded hidden camera footage of a local lodge offering anyone the opportunity to shoot seals in the morning for $40. When the tourists found out what was happening they where horrified. They had all come to see the seals and enjoy being with these animals. After visiting the beaches we attended a meeting of Seal Alert, Sea Shepherd and the NSPCA with the Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angulas and prepared some of what we had found to present to him. A meeting at the beginning of August was offered by the PM to discuss the matter further.
Film previews
13 Jul 2007
Description Campaign support Length 6:19 minutes Format HDV / DVCAM Distribution ecoeye web site Production Team Bart Smithers - Prod/Dir/DOP Andy Le May - Prod/DOP Clea Mallinson - Editor Funding     ecoeye