Seal Pups Adventure
Posted on March 6, 2008 - Filed Under Charity, HSUS, Nigel Barker Today, Personal Picts, Photography, Studio NB, Travel Shoots
As many of you know I have become the new spokesperson for the Protect Seals campaign for The Humane Society of the United States. I grew up an animal lover in a nation of animal lovers, the United Kingdom and have been aware of the seal hunt since I was a child, which I have always felt badly about. As a teen my ambitions were to become a zoologist, oceanographer or marine biologist but I was pushed into taking medicine – as it turned out I became a fashion photographer!
So, when I was approached by Dr. John Grandy from the HSUS and asked if I could help I jumped at the opportunity. Our idea was to use my ability as a photographer to celebrate these wonderful animals in their stunning Canadian landscape and to help highlight what an amazing opportunity the Newfoundland area has an eco-tourism destination similar to the whale watching business that has become a multi-million dollar industry for the country. We planned to photograph the new born, white coat, seal pups and their mothers on the ice floes in a celebration of life and the awe inspiring icy landscape where they are born. We also planned to go up for the hunt two weeks after the first trip. I feel it is important to witness the hunt first hand on the ice and document with my team for the world to see what is happening and how the “sealers” conduct themselves.
Personally, I feel despite whatever economic or scientific data there is to support the hunt, the methods employed by the hunters are inhumane in regards to the slaughter of the seals and dehumanizing for the sealers no matter which way you cut it.
Some of the facts -
1. Harp seals are the number one target of the commercial seal hunt, and to a much smaller extent, Hooded seals are also killed. 97 percent of the Harp seals killed are pups under just three months of age. The law states that the seals can be killed from the age of 12 days of age, which is when they begin to shed their white coats. So, yes it is true that “white coats” are not directly targeted by the hunt, but from the age of two weeks plus they qualify to be bludgeoned. I took photos of the seals as white coats because it is a fantastic time to see the seals, mothers interacting with pups and nature at it’s best. I will also photograph them at the time of the hunt and I am sure they will be just as appealing and certainly no less worthy of our attention.
2. In 2001, a report by an independent team of veterinarians who studied the hunt concluded that governmental regulations regarding humane killing were neither being respected nor enforced, and that the seal hunt failed to comply with Canada’s basic animal welfare standards. Shockingly, the veterinarians found that in 42 percent of the seal carcasses they studied, evidence that the seals had likely been skinned alive while conscious. Bashing a seal over the head (or a human for that matter) with a club is not a fool proof way of killing it and nor is shooting one. Not to mention the sealers get charged $2.00 for every bullet hole in the seals fur – not exactly incentive to shoot the animal more than once to make sure it’s dead……. The Canadian Marine Mammal Regulations, which govern the hunt, stipulate sealers may kill seals with wooden clubs, hakapiks (large ice-pick-like clubs) and guns. In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, clubs and hakapiks are the killing implement of choice, and in the Front, guns are more widely used. Not to condone slaughter methods for domestic farm animals (as we know they can be treated with contempt too) but do you think we would stand for beef cattle, chickens and lambs to be shot or beaten to death before serving them up for dinner and politely saying grace prior to supper?!
3. Sealing is an off-season activity conducted by fishermen from Canada’s East Coast. They make, on average, a small fraction of their annual incomes from sealing—and the rest from commercial fisheries. Even in Newfoundland, where 90 percent of sealers live, the government estimates there are less than 6,000 fishermen who actively participate in the seal hunt each year. Income from the seal hunt accounts for less than one half of 1 percent of the province’s economy. That’s not to say that the fishermen that seal hunt would not loose a part of their income but not everything may be justified through economic returns. As the human species in the 21st century we must try to conduct ourselves with a higher set of moral standards and code of ethics that does not include the mass slaughter of any animal via the use of yesteryears standards.
The law also states that during the hunt observers must not come closer than 33 feet to the hunters or risk being arrested and have their permits removed. The innocent seals of course are not afforded any such protection from the law………………
4. Prior to the hunt when the white coat pups are first nursing all observers are there just to witness the incredible sight and we are not allowed nor did I see anyone touch a seal pup. On my trip I was accompanied by scientists and reporters from Reuters, the Associated Press, Agence French Press and Sky Television. All the pups that were photographed were never separated from their mothers nor were they rejected by them once we had taken photos. In fact on the contrary the pups fearlessly would approach you and once they had sussed you out would waddle back to their Moms and suckle.
Our trip -
We all flew out to Prince Edward Island (PEI) on Sunday afternoon or at least that was the plan….. Let me introduce you to my team – Marcus is my first assistant, Ali is my personal assistant and studio manager and Theo is our cinematographer – there are a lot more people on regular shoots but on this trip I took just the most important key figures.
We were meant to fly from New York to PEI but instead landed in Halifax due to weather conditions. We then decided to brave the weather and drive for 4 hours from Halifax to PEI, arriving at 10 pm and a little disheveled! The HSUS team had all waited up to have dinner with us so we all tucked in and planned our trip to the ice the next morning.
Monday morning we all rose early had a hearty breakfast and got dressed up in our ice survival suits. They’re bright orange so no fear of getting lost! To get to the ice floes we must take two helicopters over the frozen ocean for just under an hour. The trip was one for the books, we had as usual way too much gear and were determined to bring it. Most of the equipment we brought the other press photographers professed had almost certainly never been used on the ice before. It was a bumpy ride and apparently the lower you are to the ice the faster you can go. A couple of us were a little green by the end. The view from the helicopters was breath taking – ice sheets and what looked like frozen waves for as far as the eye could see, and massive fissures in the ice that constantly reminded you that the ice we were about to land on could break at any time.
45 minutes into the flight we started seeing seals and their pups. There was placental blood on the ice too and it was as if we had stumbled onto this massive arctic baby delivery ward! What a sight to behold, tens of thousands of seals scattered across the ice with the mothers slipping into blow holes to fish for food. Upon arrival the pilot asked us to look for cracks in the ice under the helicopter before we stepped out. Once we felt safe we grabbed our gear and made our way onto this almost lunar landscape. Quietly and stealthily we crept up to the pups only for them to see us and come waddling over and give us a precocious sniff. Very similar to human babies they were very inquisitive and fearless. Sadly though the next time they see humans I knew it would be quite a different experience for them. I tried to clear my mind of the impending hunt that loomed in the not to distant future but it was nigh impossible. I just hoped and prayed that we could make a difference this time and stop the hunt if not this year then by next year. We were on the ice floes for 2 hours which is about as long as anyone can handle even with a survival suit on. The temperature on the ice was close to zero degrees and windy, not to mention you have to carefully pick your way across the ice with a stick lest you fall through a snow covered blow hole or thin ice!
We had intended on returning to the seals nursery the following day, but alas the weather took a dive for the worse. So our trip consisted of the one voyage, but well worth it nonetheless. Even in that small amount of time we managed to capture some great shots and memories that will last a life time.
The next chapter in this story will be a much harder one to tell……………..
Things that you can do right now to help save the seals – boycott Canadian snow crab at the shops and at restaurants,
sign the pledge and check in regularly at the Humane society website to follow the campaign.
“CLICK HERE TO BUY A T SHIRT AND HELP SAVE THE SEALS”
A Special Thanks to all that helped make this happen at FotoCare, Milk Studios, Phase One and Calumet.
Comments
56 Responses to “Seal Pups Adventure”
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WOW! That is all I can say right now. Your trip sound incredibly exciting. I wish you great luck on your future trips to come…. and please watch your step!
I look forward to, although with a very heavy heart, to the second installment of your journey to see and photograph the seal pups.
I gotta say I admire you for all that you have done and continue to do for this cause. This world could definetely use more people like you. You are a true inspiration! ^_^
heh Nigel,,, great photos, I am surprised you did not have Jack out there with them or your Mom in the background watching Jack as you and Crissy did some shoots. This is a good friend of your Mom who lives in Texas. Just wanted to say Hi.
100% behind you, my excellent son
Dad
Hawaii is 100% behind you. Thank you for being the “voice” for these wonderful animals.
Mahalo Nui Loa (Thank you very much)
Great!
from Chile
I think that is commendable. Great job with what you are doing!!! I love watching you on Tyra’s show as well!
Anyone who can harm those beautiful, defenseless creatures must lack a human heart.
Ashamed of being a Canadian.
Great pictures… heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I wish I could go up there and stand in between those babies and the awful humans who want to kill them.
You have support from New York!
Thank you SO MUCH for bringing attention to this dreadful act! Your photos are beautiful and I truly hope they speak to peope who can pass the word on. We have stop this barbaric, heartbreaking hunt!!
Those pictures are amazing. Thank you for supporting such a wonderful cause.
Just when I am about ready to give up on this God forsaken world, I hear of someone like you. God Bless You for all you do. I pray for the end of this needless massacre.
Nigel! I was so pleasantly surprised to find that you are openly opposed to the slaughter of the seals. BLESS YOU- for putting yourself in the public eye as a supporter for these defenseless animals. Now, if only I can find a clothing website/store that sell cruelty free apparel and SHOES! No leather please!! Take care and again, it’s really nice to know your not just a good looking-great photographer- who sits there “judging” with Tyra and the gang. Thank you!
great pics. thanks for lending your support. maybe you started something here like in-corporating into americas next top model show. that would be an attention getter. you know have the models pose with the seal pups in the background.
They say pictures are worth a thousand words. You just spoke yours. Thank you from all of us & from far above. You are doing what is right and we appreciate you and your team and all involved.
So glad to see you backing this endeavor. I will be ordering a shirt this week!
Hi Nigel, I’m overjoyed that you’d help campain against this inhumane cruelty towards seals. Why don’t you make this crisis more well known and mention it in an episope of America’s Next Top Model? I think that it’ll help spread awareness even quicker.=]
Amazing! They are such beautiful creatures, I will never understand how anyone can hurt these helpless animals! They can’t even defend themselves, just brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Thanks for supporting such a wonderful cause! I wish I could adopt all of them!
thank you so much for all that you do for these helpless animals! I appreciate that you are using your celebrity for such a wonderful cause. It is hard to believe, but there are so many people today who are unaware of this horrible slaughter.
ps i love your shirt and i want one
Hello Nigel,
My name is Rev. Dr. Leigh Foster and I have a popular live world wide show called The Pawz Cauze. I am also a DJ with my own show on RadioGetsWild.com. I have wanted to do a story about the seals and I would love to have you as a guest. People listen better when a celebrity actually talks about the problem instead of a talk show host.
I can create a live show any day and any time you have available. I know you are busy with America’s Next Top Model (which has helped me to refine my looks as well as my speech; so thank you for that); but we are very flexible with our schedule.
Please email me at leigh@thepawzcauze.net or the one that I have registared with this site (that one is my private email). You may also check out our archived shows at http://www.thepawzcauze.net and our live shows can be found at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepawzcauze
I look forward to hearing from you. I do hope you read your comments. Thank you for your time.
Pawz Up,
Leigh
It is great that celebrities like you care about animals. People like you make this world beatiful! THANK YOU! Never give up!
[...] Information Nigel Barker and The HSUS: Seals are Worth More Alive than Dead (HSUS; March 4, 2008) Seal Pups Adventure (NigelBarker.tv; March 6, [...]
Thank you so much for doing this for those without a voice. I have so much respect for you and I love the pictures you have taken! Your parents must be so proud of you.
Dear Nigel,
Thank you for using your celebrity to focus attention on the barbaric seal hunt. The seals need friends. People like you make the world a better place!
There is hope that the seal hunt will end soon. If the EU bans seal products, there’s a good chance it will shut it down for good. In addition to boycotting Canadian products, people should write to EU lawmakers & ask them to support the ban.
Unfortunately, there is a growing market for seal oil capsules. They are marketed as a “healthy” source of omega 3 fatty acids, but they are loaded with contaminants like mercury, arsenic, PCBs & DDT. Costco is one company that sells seal oil capsules (in Canada). For anyone who wants to help seals, please consider writing Costco & telling them that you will boycott until they stop selling seal oil.
March 15 is the International Day of Action for the seals, so everyone should get out there & tell Canada what they think of the incredibly cruel seal hunt!
Thanks,
Cynthia
It is so amazing what you are doing. God Bless You. The fashion industry needs to know what animals go through in order to make one stupid coat that makes them look fat. Anna Wintour needs to know this she will learn the hard way. Lets get an animal to bite off her ass. It is so sad seeing these animals suffer. Thank You for doing this I hope you mention this over and over again until it stops. I am so grateful that you are doing this.
Nigel:
Thank you so much for using your talents to raise awareness of this inhumane practice. I am praying that this will make a difference!
I’ve always loved you on ANTM but now I have an even deeper love for your heart! THANK YOU for helping those innocent creatures!
I find the whole seal clubbing thing just shocking and hardly believable.. I want to pretend it doesn’t happen and I know it does.
I would like to say though that bullfighting is just as cruel to the bulls and I know you photographed with them on ANTM. I urge you to take a stance on that too, just go research it please!!!
Thank you for having the courage to step up and take a stand for the seals.
Beautiful pics. I can’t why people are so cruel.
Good Lord, Nigel Plse continue to help them and I will do my part by forwarding this website to all my friends. So we can stop this madness.
Gwen
The seals are so cute!Excellent pictures!
SAVE THE SEAL EVERYBODY!
Thank you, Nigel! I forwarded this to EVERY person in my address book. Love ANTM and you’re great in it! It’s great that you’re in fashion and can make a difference first-hand by speaking up to fashion designers which use seal fur, like Kimora Lee Simmons of Baby Phat. Isn’t her name ironic?
P.S. Nancy, please don’t be ashamed to be a Canadian, be happy that you’re involved!
)
~ Iliana
beautiful animals… and you have captured their vulnerability and their sad story…. beautiful
Thank you Nigel – for doing the work that many of us wish we had the resources to do. I am sure that if they could, the seals would thank you as well. Thank you for using your position as a famous photographer to give them a voice!
Thank You Nigel, May God bless you as you keep up this good work.
Sincerely,
Jeane in Kentucky
Good for you – these are simply wonderful photos and I’m glad some else is trying to help these poor little creatures. God bless you
Great set of images,keep up the fight.I myself have been doing conservation photography for many years, but age is slowing me down.It is vital that we protect these creatures and all other species from the greed of mankind.
Thank you Nigel, for using your talents for such a great purpose. Since animals can’s speak up for themselves, they need advocates all over the world to do so for them. Keep up with the good work!!!
A grateful colleague from the Netherlands
Thank you Nigel, your pictures are just beautiful – I don’t understand the cruel, barbaric nature of these people-are they civilized? Is it just greed that motivates them-I don’t mean just the hunters-they are just evil-I mean the people who use their fur for profit-actually they are evil too. God bless you, I will do what I can. Thank you for being a caring, responsible celebrity.
Philip Barker, you have a wonderful son indeed.
it’s really great that you’re taking a stand on this issue. with work the hunt will end & the communities will thrive with the eco-tourism you’re helping to establish.
kudos & thanks for your hard work from one of the many anti-hunt canadians.
johnny
Dear Nigel,
Thank you for your words thru your extordinary photos. Bringing to light an awful tradition of seal slaughter. Pure horror and torture for fashon.
Leslie Lightfoot
Phoenix. AZ
Nigel,
What you and all the members of the Save The Seals team are doing is nothing short of admirable. Frankly, I wouldn’t be able to sit there and watch it happen, however, I understand documenting it is crucial to ending it. THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for doing what you are doing. I will continue to write letters, emails, and whatever else it takes to spread the word. I’ll do absolutely EVERYTHING I can to help end this forever.
Nigel, you rock! I was already an Action Alert member of the HSUS when the email came about you taking up the cause to help the seals! I was very happy to see that since you have a huge fan base and can get the message out to a lot of people. I was also thrilled that you are helping to spread the word that fur is not fashion, but is cruelty! The fashion world NEEDS so hear this! Thank you! You are my favorite person on ANTP and just a great person with a huge heart. Keep sending message about animal welfare and fur!
Thank you for sharing your story, Nigel.
Nigel,
THANK YOU for working towards such a great cause. These are such beautiful animals. It’s just awesome to see anyone involved in the field of fashion take a stand against things like this. What these horrible people do to these seals just breaks my heart. I’m 25 now, and I remember learning about seal clubbing when I was in 5th or 6th grade. I’ve kind of kept up with the progress of stopping the slautering of these gorgeous babies ever since. My heart just breaks for these beautiful creatures, and I pray that someday we will be able to put an end to this. Keep up the great work!!
You are doing an amazing thing. It is so wonderful when someone uses their high profile to draw attention to an injustice. I am doing a project on the seal slaughter for one of my courses and I’ve noticed, just in talking to people around campus, that the level of awareness about the slaughter isn’t terribly impressive.
We all need to do what we can individually to spread awareness. I was wondering if perhaps you and Tyra Banks could put together an episode of ANTM where the girls’ challenge or competition in some way relates to the issue? Since ANTM is such a popular show, of which you are such an integral part, perhaps this could help with the awareness issue?
Just a thought…I don’t doubt much more goes into the actual programming of the show than I could ever imagine possible! Thank you for your hard work and conviction, it is truly an inspiration to, and greatly appreciated by, anti-seal hunt activists around the world.
I applaud your activism. Thank you for sharing your inspiring account and affecting photos. I read your story with a heavy heart. Your journey inspires us all!
Dear Nigel,
Thank you for being a voice and advocate for these beautiful harp seals. The world needs to know what is going on in Canada. Largely due to lack of education I have shamefully been ignorant until very recently that seal clubbing was still going on in the 21st century! I am committed to playing my part in seeing this cruel ‘tradition” come to an end.
Thank you for being an inspiration and putting your passion into motion for the sake of these innocent animals.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING THE SEALS! YOU ARE AN ANIMAL HERO!
GOD BLESS YOU NIGEL!Thank you for being a voice for our furry friends.I absolutely love the photographs.Brilliant!
xxx
Dear Nigel,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. A hug from me to you for such a tremendous effort to get the awareness and urgency of this horrific tradition put to an end.
As a Canadian, I am embarrassed that our government still allows this slaughter. When it comes to animal slaughters in Canada, there are many issues, but I have to say, this is by far the most obvious form of abuse and murder of such a special and fragile species.
Thank you for your hard work!
Cheers,
Tracy
thank you for bringing the plight of the seals to t he attention of the world.just last week,i saw this brutish killing on tv and i could hardly look at it.
dear nigel, i am so pleased to know that these beautiful seals now have a voice with you. the pictures are beautiful but like many other people know the next images will be quite disturbing to say the least. i can’t wait for the headline that says the eu will have stopped their dealings with canada, that will definetly put and end to this horrendous massacre and now i heard where the sealers /bastards it’s no longer worth their while to do this rampage due to the fact that the market price has declined for a very disturbing fact-their pelts, and the price of fuel for the boats is extremely high,so if this is the case there is no profit for anyone who is involved in this horrendous act.please i hope this ends soon nigel. god speed to all the seals. linda warwick rhode island usa
Sounds like an amazing trip!
What they do to these seals is terrible, it needs to be stopped. Thank you so much for going out there and bringing this to attention. I am a huge fan of all your work and this by far is the best one so far!
Thank you once again
-Ashley
From Alaska
Thank you Nigel for the beautiful pictures
and the desire to help – Canada has such beautiful
landscapes and wildlife. It’s too bad that whenever
I think of Canada, I think of the seal
slaughter. Please continue to use your influence
in the fashion world to help make people aware of
the pain and suffering wearing fur brings.
Rebecca
Hey Nigel,
I just randomly came across your blog while checking out your photography, and I must admit you impress me. As a photographer myself, it is very encouraging to see how your popularity has drawn attention to such worthy causes. I can only hope that others will also follow your lead and use their talent and status for good, especially in a time where our world is in need of role models and purpose. Congratulations for all of your hard work, I look forward to hearing about your next projects!