Post-mortem examinations reveal how Blasket seals were killed

A POSTMORTEM examination on the bodies of three grey seals found on the Blasket Islands off Co Kerry has confirmed they were brutally killed.

Post-mortem examinations on three of the mammals established that one had been shot, another had been bludgeoned to death and a third had died after an instrument had been driven through one of its eyes.

Dr Emer Rogan, of the zoology department at University College Cork, said: “We carried out postmortems in conjunction with the regional veterinary laboratory and we will be compiling a report for the gardaí and National Parks and Wildlife Service in relation to our findings.”

Further postmortems will be carried out today to ascertain the exact cause of death of up to 60 of the protected species, found dead by divers on a breeding beach on the tiny island of Beginish last Wednesday.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) maintained a watch over the island at the weekend to ensure no one interfered with the remains. An appeal for information on the killings is reported to have yielded no response.

The Irish Seal Sanctuary welcomed the post-mortem results and assured anyone who came forward with information that it would be treated in confidence.

“The Irish Seal Sanctuary enjoys the trust and respect of people in Kerry and will treat in total confidence all information leading to the apprehension of the perpetrators of this barbaric act,” secretary Pauline Beades said. “We hope the investigation will continue and someone will put forward information so that justice is done for the animals and for the fishermen,” she said.

The finger of suspicion has been pointed at fishermen who have complained that seals pose a threat to their livelihood.

However, the Irish Seal Sanctuary said many local fishermen shared a respect for wildlife and nature.

“Whoever did this is non-representative on the fishing community,” Ms Beades said.

Fewer than 600 grey seals, one-third of the country’s total seal population, live on the Blasket Islands. The seals breed during August and September and are particularly vulnerable during and after this time. There has been concern in recent years over a rapid decline in the grey seal population in the area.

The Irish Seal Sanctuary said this latest incident supports the case to build a National Marine Conservation Centre as “it will take a new mind-set to change this behaviour”.