DEMO:RUSSIAN EMBASSY. KENSINGTON PALACE GARDENS,LONDON.2PM MONDAY 28 FEB 2005: called by European Animal Welfare. To ensure that the Russian Ambassador is reminded of the on-going opposition to this 'hunt without pity'.

ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND...

The annual cull of 9-12 day old white fur,Russian Baby Seals is due to start on 1 March 2005 on the White Sea.
It is subsidized by the Russian Government.

This year the Russians are netting them instead of bludgeoning them on the ice.They then put twenty together at a time for airlift to a supposed 'humane'* death at a processing factory in Arkangel which has armed guards on the gates etc. * Lethal Injection.

And for what ?
To make Fur Hats that are then dyed black for the market!!

It is thought that around 37500 will be slaughtered for the tarde this year.

Last year the Russians claimed there were none taken ,apparently because the cullers couldn't get onto the ice as the floes had melted resticting access. (probably climate change). Whether the same will happen this year remains to be seen.
(Over a ten year period the average cull has taken 35000 per year :1991-2001. This rose to over 50000 2002 & 3)

European Animal Welfare,after many years campaigning, has been in discussions with the Russian Ambassador in the last two years to find ways to stop this butchery.

One such method may bea an initiative by holiday firm Nordic Travel which is arranging 5 'eco-viewing'trips to the area as an experiment to see whether ecotourism could provide an alternative income for the locals on the White Sea. The trips are not thought to coincide with the cull. They are expensive trips but it's a possible start at a better alternative that sees the end of the cull( which can't come soon enough really).

PLEASE COME ALONG AND SUPPORT THIS RALLY FOR THE 9-12 DAY OLD BABY SEALS OF THE WHITE SEA,RUSSIA.

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