Photographer, Filmmaker, Actor Join HSI/The HSUS to Spotlight Seals

March 3, 2008

The HSUS

Fashion photographer Nigel Barker and HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle in Canada.

By Natalie Ragan

For the last ten years, nothing has deterred Rebecca Aldworth from documenting the beauty of the baby harp seals on the ice floes of Atlantic Canada, nor the inhumane slaughter that happens just a few short weeks later.

This weekend, that same determination was reflected in the faces of other guests at the seals nursery.

"This is just another part of the adventure and one small obstacle we need to overcome to get to the baby seals," said Barker, trapped on icy roads for hours.  

His optimism was well met when, this morning, Mother Nature delivered a sunny day for searching out seals in Canada's wilderness. And while spirits ran high, no one lost track of the reason for their visit: that in three weeks' time, the same infant seals who are now lazily sunning themselves on the ice will be slaughtered for their fur. The images captured in the next few days must remind the world that this massacre is as destructive as it is unacceptable in a civilized 21st century world.

That ambition was the inspiration for Nigel, Wayne, Alison and Leo to push through dangerous weather conditions to get to the baby seals and will undoubtedly keep their morale high as they strive to bring awareness to and end the seal hunt once and for all.  

Seal Hunt 2008 Overview