Earlier this year our founder, Brian Davies, was set to return to the Canadian ice. 2016 marks 50 years since Brian first began his brave crusade against the brutal Canadian seal hunt.
However, this year there was no ice to go to. The ice floes around the Madeleine islands, where seals give birth to their babies, had not formed. This is terrible news for our seals.
Scientists report that sea ice cover in all harp seal breeding areas has been declining by as much as 6% per decade since 1979. And, that without that ice, there may be serious consequences for seal populations. Studies show downward trends in reproductive rates and survival of young that are linked to changes in sea ice conditions. Sea ice provides a space for seals to give birth to, and feed their pups. And during ice-free years, almost no seals pups survive.
This is disastrous.
Although science tells us that seal populations are under threat from climate change and meting sea ice the Canadian government STILL stick by their out-dated arguments. We say, climate change is already killing our seals. Canada, stop killing them too.
Canada’s new prime minister Justin Trudeau has modernised his cabinet by creating gender equality. We want him to modernise his approach to killing seals too. Tell Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that killing seals is outdated and unnecessary. Tell him we’re holding him accountable for our seals. Sign our petition and let’s stop this cruel and barbaric practice forever. We can’t let Justin get away with this.