GRAPHIC WARNING: Shame of seal killers who will batter to death 10,000s in BARBARIC hunt
TENS of thousands of seals will be clubbed to death on the side of boats or shot as they rest on the ice, as the brutal hunting season gets underway today.
The barbaric killings are due to begin tomorrow
The annual slaughter of harp, hooded and grey seals is the largest commercial marine mammal slaughter in the world, and it will see the animals, some just a few weeks old, savagely killed.
Tragic seals will be hunted for fur in Canada, despite laws stopping the sale in Europe, America, Russia and Taiwan.
Canada hopes China will buy the fur, oil and meat from the kills.
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The seals are killed for their fur despite its sale being banned in most countries
This year, Asian animal protection groups are also joining the society and calling on Chinese legislators to help bring the killing to an end by banning its trade.
Humane Society International will send their HuntWatch team to the country to document the massacre as they continue their fight to have the savage hunting sessions ended.
Often the seals beaten to death are just weeks old
They will photograph and video the cruel captors as they beat the seals to death on the edge of boats or impale the heads of the young.
A statement from Humane Society International said: “We and Chinese groups are urging China not to allow itself to become the dumping ground for Canada's cruel cargo.
Photos from last year's barbaric hunt show carcasses covering the ice
Seals hit the right notes, monkeys celebrate New Year
“The Canadian government has set the seal killing quota at 468,000 seals, for which there is virtually no market.
Since 2002 more than two million seals have been killed and it is believed 98 per cent of the kills are under three months old because the fur is more valuable.
Veterinarians have called the methods of commercial sealing “inherently inhumane” and argue that prohibiting seal product trade is the most effective way to reduce the killing.