The 3 'M' - Muskaflippers, the Seal Islands and a Seal Rescue a Day
Tuesday, January 17, 2006 2:28 PM
Dear All Seal Supporters,
Starting at the Namibian/Angola border, at the recently formed Seal Colony of Cape Frio, down the oldest desert coastline in the world known as the Skeleton coast, down to Cape Cross, Wolf and Atlas Bay, where 200 000 seals starve to death annually on these unnaturally forced mainland desert seal colonies, and where new-born pups have reached the ripe age of 7-months, where their coat is smooth and grey, and where 1 in every 2, is terrifyingly rounded up, all 60 000 of them each year, each one an individual personality and clubbed to death for their $2 pelts in front of their nursing cows, and 7000 of their alpha bulls shot to death for their penises, down to the largest fur seal colony, the largest unnaturally displaced seal colony in the world, Kleinsee, where 30 000 were annually slaughtered, down past ancient historical, now banned major seal breeding islands, like Dassen and Robben, down around the Cape of Storms, across the bay of False Bay, where the largest offshore seal colony is forced to endure annual washing away of all its new-born young, down towards the very tip of Africa and into the Indian Ocean, and up along the east coast, past the few once seal bountiful scattered islands, until the range of these species, a distance of over 4000 km, finally comes to an end at the last offshore rock, near East London.
It is along all this coastline, filled with such unbelievable constant daily suffering, abuse and cruelty, ignored by almost all its countries citizens, that you, that special Seal Supporter, have made a single place of safety, just 6m by 6m, become a "sanctuary of reality" for this amazing specie of seal along a coastline of 4000 km.
Without it, there would be nothing, no hope, just death and more death, forgotten floating life-less seal bodies. Along this sad coastline of gunshots, entanglement, drowning, clubbing, mass starvation, abandonment and plight, you have 'armed' a single individual to go to where they need help.
Over 50 recovering seals from various colonies taking full advantage of the BWC/Spirit of Seal Supporters boat and rafts note the seal even sleeping above the control panel.
All the rafts have been re-vamped and repainted. My R2000 fence and over 6 days of hard labour by myself, around the boat to protect the pups during their initial first days, was demolished within one day, by 300 kg bulls, deciding that "fences" are not the way to go, Francois. So, I have removed them completely.
Our planned move to the boat with the pups has had to be delayed once again, for our weakest, "Max", slipped into convulsions again, however this time it was not so severe. He improved almost hours later, and is back to his normal self.
With all dairy products removed from their feed and with them all now on a straight fish/water diet, the 3 Muskaflippers, have become the 3 "farting" Muskaflippers. "Mumkin" is just getting bigger and bigger, "Myrna" has completely bonded, and takes control of the bulls during feeding time, as she insists, ladies first, and "Max", although still very shaky, is slowly coming round to joining our group. These 3 are a nightmare to raise, at home, for they will not leave me alone for a minute, as soon as one wet pup gets off my lap another wants to climb on. Try typing on my PC or answering my phone, and it is as if they all try to out-do any conversation or work that I am trying to do or have and insist on inspecting everything I touch.
Note the casual "protection" of my private parts to avoid a sudden nip in the wrong place - full time job!
Many people who hear what I do, always suggest, why not get people to help you. Firstly, raising wildlife in the wild and back to the wild, is a continuous job of affirmation and re-affirmation, if they are going to survive successfully on their own. This goes on every minute of everyday for 12 months. Just like a fish is super sensitive to its surroundings, so too are these marine mammals. They never become accustomed to their unnatural environment, only more trusting of their "adopted bond".Born on an island, there is just the rock, the sounds of other seals and the sea. Away from this, even the leaves in a tree, the turning of a page, the phone ringing, dogs barking, smell of the fridge door opening, the noise of moving a chair, the smell of tea, or of soap, is a new and potentially threatening smell or sound, each one, and there are hundreds every minute, increases their stress, and without constant re-affirmation, the seal pup will flee and go into panic. Therefore it is simple not possible to introduce even more strange sounds and expect them to accept them. On what would this pup have to fall back on, when terrified in the wild, it is only the "bond" that gets him or her through the fears of life.
Back at the raft and sanctuary, my "boys" in the early morning sunshine. Another "victim" needing my help and evidence of a mass of tape worms in one of their stools.
Finally almost everything is in place, a place from which to work and heal, a safe place for the pups to grow and the means to respond to any seal, anywhere and under any weather conditions, by road or by sea. We are therefore fast approaching full-time "go". The 3 Muskaflippers should soon be joining the "colony" and all that, that will entail. The good news, is that my dear friend Bev, from the Kalahari Raptor Centre and a group of her friends has got together the R3000 and decided to adopt 'Myrna" and have demanded the very best for her, so Rob, your named seal pup has its guardians.
"Mumkin", now at 55 days and "Max" has still not been adopted, if you know of anyone who would like to sponsor their rehab over the coming months, please send them my details, as well as the "Seal-a-day" rescue program, of which I am additionally needing R3000 or $500/rescue/rehab. Besides the adoption of "Myrna", the donations have all but ceased, with over a million seals to take care of and help, with thousands needing my help, my only means of trying to help, if we all, see their future as our own. With this said, you all have done enough already, except I ask of you, to simply pass this on.
My banking details to follow.
To mail a donation directly to Seal Alert-SA:
SEAL ALERT-SA
BOX 221
POSTNET
HOUT BAY
7872
HEREWITH IS FURTHER DETAILS FOR BANK TRANSFERS:
ZAR is South AfricanRand
More information to be able to send the money via internet:
SEAL ALERT-SA ACC : 911 2201 321
BRANCH CODE : 632 005
SWIFT CODE : ABSAZAJJ
BANK : ABSA
SA NAT.CLEARING CODE
BIC: (SWIFT-CODE) ABSAZAJJ
Bank name : ABSA
Address : DELPHI ARCH OFFICE PARK, RAATS DRIVE, TABLE VIEW
City/code : TABLE VIEW, 7439
Country : South Africa
For the Seals
Francois Hugo - Seal Alert-SA
