Polar Ice Babies

There is nothing cuter than a seal pup. They rate right up there with kittens and canine puppies. Newfoundland and the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is where a third of all seals gather to give birth to these adorable seal pups. The Magdalen Islands of Canada and Labrador is where they gather in order to mate and reproduce.

We are now in the time of birthing and there may be more than 500,000 seal pup births in a season. The ice floes are where their birth often takes place and it is one of the most amazing events that happens in the wilds of North America.

When the pups are born, they are just about two feet long and weigh just fifteen pounds. Their growth is quick as they gain about four pounds per day. The milk that their mothers feed them has a 45% fat content as opposed to cow's milk which only has 4%. Within a short span of twelve days they can weigh as much as seventy five pounds.

It may seem cruel to hear these adorable babies calling for their mothers as mama takes off to join the males and begin to journey north. The pups are left to follow all by their lonesome. The ice floes that were so safe for their birth now become a killing field for seal hunters. Hunters can kill these babies as soon as they start to moult and develop the white hair that so many of us are used to seeing. This happens approximately two weeks after they are born.

The media has helped the general public to realize what is happening in the frozen north as most people don't realize the slaughter that can happen when it is unchecked. More and more tours bring thousands of animal lovers to the ice so that they may take the baby seals picture instead of their lives.

The public outcry against this practice has been phenomenal. The clubs once used to beat the life out of these innocent creatures have been replaced with flashing bulbs and avid video equipment. Only we as humans can demand an end to this savage practice. Consumers can boycott the fur trade that features seal coats, stoles and other products made from the skins of baby seals.

Do your part and find out what you can do to stop this senseless slaughter. Imagine if it was your child that was hunted only for their skins. Let's join together to stop the killing of such beautiful and necessary animals, and ensure that out of the many seal pups born this spring, more than ever will survive to live another day and produce more seal pups for the next generation.