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GARDAÍ ARE INVESTIGATING after a gruesome find at the gates of the Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary in Co. Kerry this morning.
At around 8.30am the heads of two seals were found nailed to plywood and then screwed onto the sign at the gate of the centre. Written on the signs were the messages “RIP CULL” and “RIP I AM HUNGRY”, written in red paint.
Ally McMillan from the sanctuary told TheJournal.ie that it would be inappropriate to speculate about the motives for what she called a “vicious horrible prank”. She said it is the first incident of its kind and the only other problems that staff from the centre have ever had is the “occasional taunt in the pub”.
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McMillan said she was initially concerned for the safety of two seals currently resident in the sanctuary who are due to be released back into the wild in two weeks. However she said she has no idea where the bodies of the decapitated seals – a grey seal and a common seal – may have come from. She said they appeared to have been freshly killed.
Garda have removed the makeshift signs for analysis and hope to be able to find a match for the paint used.
The Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary opened in 2010 and is staffed by a team of volunteers, many of them from abroad. The centre is regularly home to duck, geese and swans and also rescues orphaned, wounded and starving seal pups.
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@Mike, what fish stocks? Do you mean their natural food source? Or are fish exclusively for human consumption. And what are these diseases they spread?
Fair play to the Journal for putting up the photos, I’m always one for taking the good as well as the bad view. But that is f*****g disgusting, whoever did that should be put in prison, the filthy animals. Makes me so angry.
God, this kind of thing makes me so angry. I understand people rely on fishing to make a living but the idea that seals which are a natural predator of fish, and that only eat what they need are more of a problem than overfishing and by catch and other fisheries related issues is ridiculous.
The people in that sanctuary give their time freely to try and do a bit of good for the animals and this is how they’re treated. Irish people can be so incredibly thick and ignorant sometimes it makes me ashamed. It really does.
The worst part of it is that even if they find who did it they’ll probably get off with a slap on the wrist or a half arsed fine.
Agreed Itchy, anyone capable of doing that to animals is just as likely capable of doing it to a human. Unfortunately animal welfare laws in Ireland are so outdated and weak it’s unlikely they will even get a prison term if caught. However the psychopath(s) who did it should be kept under close watch by authorities from the moment they are caught onwards.
The full weight of the law needs to be felt by those responsible for this hideous and twisted act. If anyone out there has any information what so ever I urge you to go to the Gardaí as soon as possible. This is a country famed for its natural beauty and heritage. As well as being popular for its scenery it is equally famed for the array of beautiful creatures found on land and off our coasts. Acts like this cannot be tolerated in any way shape or form. Disgusting does not even begin to describe it.
As the Ma would say ” I think there’s a ” want” in these people, ie there’s something wrong with them. Even if these seals were washed up dead you’d have to be totally warped to mutilate them and inflict that scene on the public. Perverts should be pilloried.
Anyone capable of this kind of depravity is capable of anything! We share this planet with creatures who do not deserve to be refered to as humans. Even animals only kill when instinct tells them they have to. It seems only humans can mutilate and kill for fun or as a prank. Shame on those responsible.
What a dispicable act of Cruelty, not only to these poor animals but to the people who found them. The perpetrators should be caught asap and medically assessed . Thank you to the Journal for showing these pics as gruesome as they are, it needs to be put out there that there are evil people about. Shocking ! I feel quite upset that a ”human being/s” carried out these acts of inhumanity… Shame on them. There is something really sick with the mind of an individual who did this .
Whoever did this needs to be found and found quickly. Seriously sick individual(s) and even more disturbing given the premeditation obviously involved.
That is disgusting. Hopefully those responsible will be caught and dealt with appropriately. Though I’m not sure there is a sufficient sanction under the law for this act of despicable cruelty.
So sad, why would anyone want to do this, what point are they trying to make? Such beautiful animals. I can’t believe something like this has happened in Kerry, such a beautiful place!!
I assume it’s to do with the fishing industry wanting to cull the seals because they believe it’s the seals fault that fish stocks aren’t what they used to be. There have been a few incidents of seals being found dead on beaches with gun shot wounds and the likes. The fact that they aimed it at a place that’s purpose is to keep seals alive and maintain their populations would lead you to believe that someone thinks they’re as big a problem as the seals themselves.
Seals consume some 25-50 tonnes of fish on a daily basis, while cormorants devour some 15-18 tonnes, meaning that, at the current rate, it is impossible for fish stocks to replenish.
Beautiful place just shame about the peoples backward attitude down there!! This happens all the time down there and in knowing the Gardai there and their lack of enthusiasm in regards to anything in that town, there is 99.9% chance the culprits will never be found or even looked for!!
I’ll think you’ll find that
1. global overfishing espically by the likes of Japan and Spain
2. poorly managed fish-stocks and
3. overreliance on cod and a select few other species in national shops
have been doing far more damage than other creatures in the eco-system.
Proper management of our fishing industry, stricter enforcement of national rules to foreign shipping and a diversification of national tastes would be far better in the long term than taking your frustrations out on innocent animals like a spoilt brat throwing his toys out of the pram.
Studies are showing that if we dont cop on immediately, global fish stocks could be almost non-existant by 2050-2070… and I don’t think an massive explosion of the seal population is responsible for that, do you?
@Peter-So a seal can eat 50 tonnes of fish on a daily basis. That means he would weigh 10 times the weight of an elephant after one day. Never realised seals ate that many fish. Wow!
@Peter…jaysus those seals and cormorants must be massive altogether… maybe they are new species of genetically enhanced seals and cormorants caused by all the pollution being pumped into the seas around Ireland…..
I don’t think they would, but they can’t prove who is responsible when the fishing community closes ranks and refuses to pass on information. The culprits must be known locally…
I really hope whoever did this is caught. Clearly anyone who gets a kick out of this sort of sick act poses a threat to just to animals but to people too. The law needs to be harsh when it comes to animal cruelty.
That is truly sickening. I hope whoever did this get caught and their head put on a plank of wood. SOme sick people in this world who obviously need help.
How amazingly tragic is that? I’m not even going to try to understand the type of person that has the ability to inflict such cruelty to any living creature. Until the law is amended so the courts can hand down real sentence to match the severity of the crimes there is very little to deter these type of people from getting their kicks. I detest ALL types of cruelty but against children or animals is especially sickening, I wouldn’t be a violent person but……
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is offering a reward of 2000 Euros for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing two seals and nailing their decapitated heads to the Dingle Seal and Wildlife Sanctuary in Ireland. Please report any information to the Guarda
If seals consume fish to the point that fish stocks can’t replenish, shouldn’t fish stocks have been depleted long ago? Seals existed long before trawlers came along but the stocks were still there, so from my point of view the problem is overfishing.
As for my own thoughts on this act of cruelty, it is utterly horrific and there is absolutely no justification for it.
The people who did this clearly have no respect for the humane treatment of all animals.
This makes me want to cry, how barbaric so cruel so heartless, Don’t think I could trust myself not to do time for these b…….. if I came face to face with them.
I’ve seen the seals at Bulloch and Howth, occasional dolphins from the Dart and even a huge group (Shoal? Pod? School? Gang?) of dolphins in the North up near Giant’s Causeway. Still haven’t spotted a shark or whale yet.
What have members of the fishing industry have to say about this. Is it necessary to kill seals to protect fish stocks. The problem now is whoever done this has had the exact effect they wanted media exposure.
This is absolutely a vile act and who ever done this should be jailed. I hope that the staff at the sanctuary are okay as i imagine they are all in shock, especially the person who made the discovery. I have never seen or heard of anything so inhumane as this. I’m absolutely shocked that someone could bring themselves to this.
This is horrific. If this was an act by local fishermen, they should be looking at the wider picture and fighting the fight against the current quota system imposed by the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The idea of catch and throwing back over board of dead, perfectly consumable fish is an absolute disgrace for modern day society. Fish stocks would not be so low if over fishing wasn’t almost encouraged, in , my eyes, by EU policy. All of a fisherman’s catch, no matter how many different fish species are caught, should be brought back to land and sold for consumption.
Honestly, these people took the easy way out (and I mean it in the bigger picture, as I think that this act of cruelty is appalling). They are cowards and should be speaking out if they want policies changed or anything to be done to help ever decreasing fish stocks. This problem is the maker of MAN!!!
If they are caught a clear message needs to be sent out to others that may contemplate carrying out similar acts. I hope they have the full force of the law applied to them and that they spend a considerable amount of time behind bars.
Beyond belief that somebody could do this. Serious jail time required for all involved. I pity the decent people that have to raise kids near the psychos responsible for this. God knows what else their narrow minds are capable of.
What savagery. I agree with all the sentiment and am horrified that cruelty like this could exist. I also think that Craig’s point is valid The group that could carry out such an act need to be confronted and not just condemned however difficult it may be.
the only way to save our fish stocks in this country is an organised cull of these animals, not by crucifixion but in a humane way. there are far too many of them some are even reaching fish spawning grounds in lakes and rivers 30km plus up stream.
Seals consume some 25-50 tonnes of fish on a daily basis, while cormorants devour some 15-18 tonnes, meaning that, at the current rate, it is impossible for fish stocks to replenish.
@Peter
Where do you get your figures? And do you really think that cormorants and seals are more of a problem than unsustainable overfishing for many years?
Given that seals, cormorants and other birds that eat fish have been around for millenia and seem to have been able to survive I find it hard to believe your logic here. If fish stocks were unable to survive because of natural reasons then the populations of their predators would also collapse because ultimately nature is self correcting.
Its only in the last fifity years that fish stocks have come under such serious pressure and that happens to coincide with the vast increase of commerical fishing. This is why some species have been driven towards extinction. But it’s probably just easier to blame the seals.
The biggest problem for the Irish fishing industry is the decision to give it away in the early 70′s .no seals were involved as far as I know when that was signed away
Does that not apply to seals in that area though? Is the study not based on Scandinavia and the North Atlantic?
Don’t get me wrong, I respect the fact that you have actually based your opinion on solid fact but I don’t believe you can apply research that wasn’t carried out in this particular location. I’m no expert but natural phenomena etc will differ from location to location.
I’ll acknowledge that seals can swim wherever they want but I just don’t know how you could apply statistics from the far north Atlantic to local waters here, though I can see how you could hypothesize.
your right Sarah about that, the irish fisheries bord could do with doing a real survey of this perhaps looking into imitating canadian and norwiegein practices once our research into the field is done
And tell me Peter…how many tonnes of fish do humans eat per year?? Maybe seals should should go eat beef/chicken or pork instead or may it is a cull of a few sick individuals that we need? There are ways to go about things and if this is a protest by fishermen over fish stocks…I think they need to take a long hard look at the situation and see what has really caused the shortage in fish stocks!
This has been simmering for a while. There is a lot of anger among fishermen re stocks being stretched by too many seals. A fairly sick thing to do though. I thought you wouldnt see that in Ireland. A lot of fishermen had been complaining that nets being left out were being targeted by seals who had learnt that there was an easy meal in the nets. Many catches in nets were being wiped out by seals.
yeah thats true ive seen seals come up rivers as far in as carlow! they are getting in to fish spawning grounds!
fish are far more inportant to this country than seals are, seals can survive in polluted water where as fish cant
we should not focus on protecting this animal illogically while not looking at others if you protect an unindangered predator its obvious that fish stocks will fall.. you have to look at the bigger picture and not just the plight of one animal, pigs are slaughtered in the same method basically yet the main stream environmentalists (paul marcartny ect )
listen Jacques Cousteau was for controlled seal culls, and i belive that we could do with a seal quota like in Norway, Canada, and many other marine countries.. I would bring in revenues
Peter, the seals are naturally occurring, just like the fish. The unnatural thing in this picture is the fishing industry. It’s not like we’re stone age hunter gatherers fishing with spears and just taking enough to feed our families. The fishing industry is a big money business and that is what the people at the top care about. The impact of trawler fishing, dredging, over fishing, by-catch etc. etc. are all far more harmful to the fish stocks than seals.
Granted it is sometimes necessary to look at controlled culls to keep animal populations in check for their own good or for the good of other animal populations, but this is not the case in Dingle. And even if it was it does not excuse this kind of barbaric behaviour.
yeah, I mean the cheek of those damn seals, eating fish!! how dare they, let’s kill ‘em all every one! imagine they see nets filled with fish and they actually EAT the fish, surely they should know better! pity they are not as intelligent as us superior humans! oh yeah, they probably are and even more so! ignorant, cowardly and dangerous people did this, I for one would not like them living anywhere near me or my family.
Also Peter, Cod do not spawn in rivers, so seals swimming up stream to Carlow are unlikely to have an impact on their spawning grounds. Fish such as salmon and trout swim right up stream to the very shallow tributary streams to spawn, places where seals could not swim to, so again, it’s unlikely them swimming to Carlow would have any impact on these spawning grounds.
As for your 25-30 tonnes of fish A DAY. A hippo weighs on average between 1.5 and 3 tonnes, are you saying a single seal will eat 10 adult hippos worth of fish in a single day? More like between 10-20 POUNDS of fish a day. A fully grown adult cod would weigh about between 100-200lbs.
Cod stocks are falling due mainly to overfishing, and also due to a decline in their own prey. Seals will and do eat the already dead cod, which fishermen would just throw back. Seals are more likely to eat small fish anyway such as herring, which are not as commercially viable as cod.
Seals excreting what they’ve eaten encourages the growth of plankton and supports the food base for fish such as cod. Also, the historical peak abundance of seals coincided with the historical peak abundance of cod stock.
Basically, the fish stocks and other marine mammal numbers have evolved over centuries to coexist in the best possible way. The problem now is interference from man and the idea that our need to make money off the natural environment is more important than the natural balance that’s existed for far longer than we’ve been around.
The one thing that annoys me almost as much as these acts themselves is people spouting rubbish in defence of it. There is no proof that culling seals would increase the populations of fish by any massive level, and even if it did what would be the point? So someone could come along with a net and take them out themselves.
I have no problem having a reasonable discussion with someone who knows what they’re talking about but just making up facts and repeating them to make your point is no kind of argument. Even if it was there is no way to defend this kind of behaviour, it’s barbaric and that’s all there is to it.
Extremely well said Elmo. I was horrified by this crime and unfortunately don’t have the knowledge on this subject to argue with these people trying to justify it. Thank you :-)
People do desperate things when their livelihoods and way of life are threatened such as killing seals and poisoning birds of prey. This is as much a cry for help as it is an act of barbarism
Whilst I can see how seals may be competing with fishermen for stocks which are already severely limited due to many years of overfishing, the ‘threatening my livelihood’ argument carries absolutely no weight whatsoever when it comes to poisoning Eagles.
That’s such a poor excuse and its doesn’t stand up. If these people went out and killed the seals that would be one thing. It would still be horrible but perhaps understandable if they felt their living was threatened.
However to deliberately target the seal sanctuary with such an act takes the act to a whole new disgusting level and its is completely inexcusable.
Peter the Candadian government use the taxes of the canadian people to carry out the killing of seal pups, its social welfare for out of work fishermen and this has nearly died out since the EU banned the import or use of seal pelts. When Canada approached China to try to open up a market the Chinese sent them packing saying that killing baby seals was the most horrendouse act and that they didnt want to be associated with it in any way.
Seals are not fish they are mammals.
Seals do bring in revenue by bringing tourists to see our ocean life and thankfully clean oceans.
These killings were a criminal act by lawless individuals.
sick,sick barstards! hopefully the sea shepherd organization will find out who did this to these gentle creatures!
Me I would give the perpetrators a taste of the same inhumane treatment they so cruelly imparted on these seals!
If anyone has any information or knows who did this,keep your conscience clear and inform the Gardai!
A shocking act of barbarism. It’s not the seals that are responsible for the collapse in fishing stocks but the EU, which has cost Ireland €200 billion in fishing rights since 1972.
does fungie the dingle dolphin now stand in danger, and does the fish farm have their place on 24 hour protection, hard to look at those pictures, pure cruelty.
Absolutely appalling act of cruelty & violence. The acts of cowards, how brave does someone need to be to slaughter & torture a defenceless animal. 15 years in jail would not be enough.
This was an act of animal cruelty, pure and simple. Even under our antiquated anti-cruelty laws this was an illegal act and the people responsible would be prosecuted if caught. Unfortunately, many people still protect such thugs by their silence, not wishing to be “informers”. We need to accept that animal cruelty, be it badger baoting, throwing cats into Halloween fires, or hare coursing should be unnacceptable in a civilised society.
Elmo, the 1911 Protection of Animals Acts still applies. You can access info on it via a Search of Irish government websites. A new animal welfare Bill is being debated in the Oireachtas right now. The government has promised this new law will update animal protection, though it’s got off to a bad start with a pledge from the Fine Gael party that hare coursing and fox hunting will not be banned under the legislation. Anyone who feels strongly about animal cruelty (whether involving seals or any other animal) needs to make his/her views known to his/her local TD. Otherwise, certain forms of animal cruelty that command the backing of wealthy or influential folk will again escape prohibition.
Actually, while it is obviously a horrible thing to do, this act has probably done a lot to raise support for the seal sanctuary and conservation in general.
I’d imagine it was done by someone from the local fishing industry who feels that seals are competition for fish. I would also imagine that many more seals are killed or wounded by people like that out at sea that and their bodies never found.
Making a spectacle of these two animals is more likely to make them into martyrs than anything else.
this is cruel beyond belief !!!! while i understand the fishermen want to make a living.(as do we all).. animals where around long before us.. so we are taking their natural supply of food. i agree animals need to be culled to keep the populations down, but this should be done humainly, just like other species… just because we are the top of a food chain dont mean we can go round doing things like this.. its just plain sick !!!
The Japanese over-fish and blame dolphins. The Russians over-fish (in the Bering Sea) and blame the Chinese.
Everybody blames somebody for what they can’t own up to themselves–there’s too much money to be made from big hauls of fish. The bigger the haul, the more money they make. So the seals get blamed, like the home-buyers get blamed for the bubble and subsequent economic collapse. Greed, baby. They’re gonna fish till the last fish in the ocean is gone. They should get a pretty penny for the last fish in the ocean. Wonder if it’ll be the Chinese, the Japanese, the Russians, the Americans, or the Icelanders who catch it…
Sea Shepherd Ireland have offered a €2k reward for information that leads to the conviction of these criminals, along with NARA’s up to €5k offer this brings the reward pot to €7k. Please provide garda and the Dingle Wildlife & Seal Sanctuary with all information regarding this crime.
This crime has now been reported around the world, will Dingle be internationally known as the scene of this crime or as the home of fungie ?
To contact Sea Shepherd please email ireland@seashepherd.org or go to our web page http://www.seashepherd.org and look for the wildlife crimes page where you can report what you know confidentially.
The Seals need someone to stand up and be counted, to match the names that have already been given to evidential facts for the gards to add this to forensic evidance, ensuring that this type of crime stops in Kerry.
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