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or movement of a ship in ice as opposed to the swing of some
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How many seals, more then one with the same injury, beheaded, indicates a
deliberate cutting, no doubt by humans. It is not uncommon for seals to wash
up shot. Perhaps the beheading was to get rid of the bullet holes, so as to
leave no evidence. My vote. the ice may decapitate a seal here or there, but
hundreds along the shores of Sidney harbor every year, the seals are being
killed by humans.
-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of David Webster
Sent: April 14, 2009 9:13 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Dead Seal
Hi All, Apr 14, 2009
If most of these dead seals are beheaded, and I understand this to be
the case, then one can confidently conclude that the mortality is from
natural or accidental causes; i.e. ice or movement of a ship in ice as
opposed to the swing of some man held cutting tool.
Seals in water will either be submerged or with the head just above the
surface. And when thinning ice is breaking up in a high wind one can expect
collisions between pans. Seals must breath at intervals so they must take
their chances, pop up between pans and if their timing is wrong; kachunk.
On the other hand, the orientation of seals on ice will be much less
regular (probably about 1/6 would be rotated such that a suitably positioned
killer could lop off a head, assuming this could be done without a chopping
block below it) and their lateral position relative to the killer would also
not be regular (probably about 1/6 of those that had some body part within
reach of a cutting tool and with suitable rotation would be positioned
laterally such that the neck could be severed).
So roughly 35 out of 36 seals would be oriented and positioned such that
some body part other than the neck would be more readily struck. And
consequently one would expect nearly all of the fatal wounds to be to the
large, exposed and vulnerable areas; rib cage or body spine because, when
the seal was within striking distance, one or both of these large targets
would almost always be oriented such that it could be hit.
These considerations are based on extensive inexperience with seals and
sea ice.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----
From: jen cooper <mailto:iffercooper@hotmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 3:41 PM
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Dead Seal
i have no offering of a method for the 'headlessness issue' but this is the
4th year (that i've been observing) in a row that headless seals wash up all
around municipal cape breton. there seems to be 2 seal hunts, the one were
all used to hearing about on the news each year and this second one where
the pelts are not utilized and all seems to be for naught. literally
hundreds of headless seals wash up on the shores of sydney harbour every
year and it never seems to be investigated. i assume its fishermen but i'd
love to know for sure.
jen cooper
> From: randy.lauff@gmail.com
> Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:02:23 -0300
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Dead Seal
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>
> And for those of you with stronger stomachs...
>
> I'm very curious about this headlessness issue. Is there any evidence
> to the method of beheading? Cut, chopped, crushed and torn asunder?
>
> Randy
>
> 2009/4/13 Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com>:
> > There were at least 4 dead seals on Pond Cove Beach this w/e. All were
> > young, and headless - similar to those described on the CBC news at
> > Lawrencetown Beach this evening. They were providing a treat for the
local
> > Turkey Vultures. I have no idea what killed them., but perhaps it's a
> > province-wide phenomenon.
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 6:03 PM, Terri Crane
<terri.crane@ns.sympatico.ca>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> This year the outer edge of the Ice flow was pushed out of the Gulf and
> >> off Cape Breton earlier than usual and large volumes passed just off
our
> >> shores heading southwest.
> >>
> >> I'd say that the early and large out flows of ice are responsible for
this
> >> years further south than usual deposits of seal carcus'. I'm sure most
of
> >> us along the north eastern shore don't mind sharing this early-mid
spring
> >> abundance.
> >>
> >> In the next short while if you have a carcus on you beach don't let it
get
> >> above the tide line. You'll be sure to have you're own smelly, oil
> >> producing, colony of decomposers that will last into mid summer (lots
of
> >> experence). Even though the water is cold it seem to excelerate the
decomp
> >> of the seals while keeping the smell in check (relatively speaking). An
off
> >> shore wind on a falling tide can make it go away.
> >>
> >> Tom K.
> >> Canso
>
>
> Randy
> _________________________________
> RF Lauff
> Way in the boonies of
> Antigonish County, NS.
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