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7 - Killing methods
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- By W.N. Bonner
- Edited by R. M. Laws, St Edmund's College, Cambridge
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- Book:
- Antarctic Seals
- Published online:
- 05 February 2010
- Print publication:
- 07 October 1993, pp 155-160
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Summary
Destruction comes most swiftly upon seals when they are smitten on the head.
Oppian, Halieutica v. 1.391.Introduction
Killing of seals has attracted more attention than any other group of animals and several official publications on approved methods have been issued, perhaps largely on account of public concern about inhumane methods alleged to be used in commercial seal hunting. In the past much of the information on seal biology was obtained from post-mortems carried out on animals taken commercially, killed for dog food or specifically for the purpose of biological research. However, few species are now commercially exploited – certainly no Antarctic species – and very few seals are taken for dog food; also there has been a change in public attitudes on killing animals for scientific purposes and nondestructive methods can now be used to obtain much of the data formerly obtained in that way (e.g. capture, drug immobilization, blood sampling and telemetry). Nonetheless, some information and material is still only obtainable from dead animals. Animals should not be killed unless absolutely necessary and humane methods must be used to avoid unnecessary suffering. (Appendix 16.7.) It is likely that a scientist collecting seal material will in most cases choose a firearm to kill his specimens, though special methods may be required for particular purposes and chemical euthanasia will often be chosen when the animals are already restrained.
8 - Morphometrics, specimen collection and preservation
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- By W.N. Bonner, R.M. Laws
- Edited by R. M. Laws, St Edmund's College, Cambridge
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- Book:
- Antarctic Seals
- Published online:
- 05 February 2010
- Print publication:
- 07 October 1993, pp 161-171
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Summary
Introduction
In the past much of the information on seal biology was obtained from post-mortems carried out on animals taken commercially, killed for dog food or specifically for the purpose of biological research. However, few species are now commercially exploited – certainly no Antarctic species – and very few seals are taken for dog food; also there has been a change in public attitudes on killing animals for scientific purposes and non-destructive methods can now be used to obtain much of the data formerly obtained in that way (e.g. capture, drug immobilization, blood sampling and telemetry). Nonetheless, some information and material is still only obtainable from post-mortem examination and so standard methods for collection of data, samples and specimens from dead animals are described here. Animals should not be killed unless absolutely necessary.
Historically, many measurements and specimens and samples were taken from all animals collected or captured. However, this is time consuming and often the material is not used. In this chapter we have largely restricted ourselves to the collection of data and specimens from the three areas most relevant to research and management needs in population ecology:
fundamental cataloguing of the original specimens, samples and essential measurements;
age determination;
reproductive status.
The collection of skeletal material is also described here. Studies of food habits are also important; the collection of complete stomachs (and intestines) from killed seals is described in chapter 13.
12 - Recent developments in Antarctic conservation
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- By W.N. Bonner
- Edited by Gillian D. Triggs
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- Book:
- The Antarctic Treaty Regime
- Published online:
- 20 January 2010
- Print publication:
- 16 July 1987, pp 143-149
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Summary
It is easy to forget today that conservation is a relatively new concept in western society and that in many other parts of the world it has still to make an impact. When the Antarctic Treaty was negotiated in the late 1950s conservation was not one of the pressing issues to be included in it. It was not until the Third Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in 1964 that a set of rules directed towards environmental protection, the Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora, was drawn up.
The Agreed Measures form a rather simple practical code of conduct having four main articles:
i) it is forbidden to kill, wound or capture any native mammal or bird;
ii) harmful interference with the normal living conditions of native and birds must be minimised and pollution of coastal avoided;
iii) Specially Protected Areas may be designated where unique or outstandingly interesting species or ecological systems can be preserved; and finally,
iv) the introduction of non-indigenous species is banned.
More than 20 years later, most practising conservation managers would see the Agreed Measures as being rather naively drawn, and indeed, in retrospect, it would have been helpful if there had been a more effective input at the drafting stage from people with practical experience of environmental protection.
The Agreed Measures were extended by other recommendations made at subsequent ATCMs, notably at the Seventh, when the concept of the establishment of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) was introduced.