Steve, you've made that claim a couple of times now, and again I have to tell you that it's just not correct.
despite the fact that hunting the whitecoats is
illegal. Don't believe me? Look at the OP. It very clearly portrays the whitecoats as being the victims. (As do most of the anti-hunt websites.)QUOTE]
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/sealhunt/
2. What about those cute whitecoat seals?
Whitecoats are newborn harp seals. Most Canadians can recall pictures of whitecoated seal pups being clubbed. The images were so inflammatory that Canada banned all hunting of whitecoats and bluebacks (in fact hooded seals) in 1987.
You'd never know that from some of the anti-sealing groups that still prominently display pictures of whitecoats on their websites and in fundraising materials. One site even features a downloadable video of people hugging whitecoats. The reality is that whitecoats can't be hunted anymore.
It's also true that young harp seals lose their white coats (and their protection) at about 12 to 14 days of age. After that, they're fair game for hunters, although they're usually about 25 days old before they're hunted. Most harp seals taken are under the age of three months. Young yes, whitecoats no.
I guess the fact that they are "at least" 12-25 days old, and "less cute" than the whitecoats makes the cruelty OK.
A 2002 report in the Canadian Veterinary Journal found that "the large majority of seals taken during this hunt … are killed in an acceptably humane manner." This study found that 98 per cent of hunted seals it examined had been killed properly.
New harp seal quota for 2007 hunt: 270,000
Harp seal quota for 2006 hunt: 325,000
OK. 270,000 + 325,000= 595,000 X 2 per cent. That's only 11,900 seals killed improperly!