posted
Well, of course I had to wonder if there was any way another animal could have done it. There are eagles that drop tortoises on rocks to break them open, and otters bash abalone with rocks. But yeah, probably some human.
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53 of them [and with no body parts removed, no evidence of being eaten on] sways me to a concerted effort by one or more humans.
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Yeah, this definitely has humanity's fingerprints all over it.
I often wish that the dominant species on the planet were a sapient primate evolved from a gorilla-like ancestor rather than a chimp-like one.
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I guess I'm comfortable not laying this crime on the doorstep of humanity in general. I mean, we have no idea who would have done it. Though I guess this is an opportunity to learn about whether any people even live on the Galapagos. Pinta Island is only 60 square Kilometers. I think whoever did this had to travel there.
Maybe it was poachers who got interrupted in their crime?
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quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: 53 of them [and with no body parts removed, no evidence of being eaten on] sways me to a concerted effort by one or more humans.
This is so horrid. All the evidence suggests this was just a senseless slaughter. It seems that some person(s) just killed these sea lions for the sake of killing.
Perhaps more evidence will be found and perhaps there was some method in this madness, but right now it seems like some one out there is just enjoying slaughtering these poor animals. An example of the very worst that humans can be.
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quote:Originally posted by Noemon: I often wish that the dominant species on the planet were a sapient primate evolved from a gorilla-like ancestor rather than a chimp-like one.
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: I often wish that the dominant species on the planet were a sapient primate evolved from a gorilla-like ancestor rather than a chimp-like one.
Why?
Based on the context, I suspect it's because chimps are more prone to violent behavior than gorillas.
[ January 29, 2008, 12:07 PM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
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How very odd. What possible reason could there be for doing such an awful thing? Or is raw Sealion a delicacy now?
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"Except humans usually do remove body parts."
Nope, no legal market, and little illegal market since the extreme decline in demand for seal skins by the clothing industry. However the fishing industry likes to blame the results of their overfishing on sea mammals. And the sociopaths amongst them actually believe that nonsense enough to slaughter sea mammals.
Primary impetus behind Norwegian and Japanese whaling and Canadian seal-kills: to "reduce competion" between sea mammals and commercial fishermen. Contrary to the position advocated by their governments, there is no and never has been a traditional market beyond a few Inuits and native peoples living in similarly impoverished winter conditions. The stuff tastes just plain nasty.
posted
I'm reminded of a section of "Shackleton's journey of Endurance" on NOVA where the men survive an antarctic sea voyage in lifeboats and they make shore on... I believe it's Elephant Island, and they go crazy butchering the seals or sea lions. I don't know if I'd call it an excuse, again. Humans are sometimes crazy with a Bacchanalian blood lust, though, even otherwise disciplined groups of men.
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If you're asking for a link to the story about the sea lions, the sad face in the first post is what you're looking for.
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I saw the A&E Shackelton as well. Are you referring to the sausage? I think it was the idea of how it was made more than the flavor.
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In Japan , "dolphin and pilot whale...mercury levels ranging from 10 to 100 parts per million, far above the Japanese government's advisory level of 0.4 parts per million. The most contaminated sample he ever found was from the internal organs of a pilot whale sold in a Taiji supermarket - 2,000 parts per million. Despite the extreme sensitivity to mercury poisoning in Japan...the Health and Agriculture ministries have done little to inform the public about mercury in whale and dolphin meat."
Meanwhile in Norway, PCB/etc levels in slaughtered whales are so dangerously high that their own environmental laws mandate that tons upon tons of whale blubber must be stored in warehouses until a special toxic waste incinerator is built.
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