Often called the ‘dogs of the sea’ because of their curiosity, playfulness, and affection, seals are also known in German as seehunds, meaning sea hounds.
International Day of the Seal brings attention to these lovable marine mammals and raises awareness about their plight!
International Day of the Seal Timeline
Rise of Large-Scale Commercial Sealing
Annual large-scale seal hunts begin in the North Atlantic and expand rapidly, launching an era of intensive, unregulated exploitation of seal populations for fur, oil, and leather.
First Major South Atlantic Sealing Venture
Settlers from St. Malo ship the first recorded cargo of Falkland Islands seal products to France, marking the start of organized commercial sealing in the South Atlantic.
Sealing Boom and Near-Extermination of Fur Seals
Intensive voyages to the Falklands, South Georgia, New Zealand, and sub-Antarctic islands drive many fur seal colonies to collapse, revealing the ecological limits of unregulated sealing.
Early Local Regulations on Falklands Sealing
Louis Vernet, appointed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, begins enforcing duties and restrictions on sealing around the Falkland Islands in one of the first attempts to regulate the trade.
North Pacific Fur Seal Convention Signed
The United States, Great Britain, Japan, and Russia signed the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention in Washington, D.C., the first international wildlife conservation treaty, banning pelagic sealing in the North Pacific.
U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act Enacted
The United States passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prohibiting most killing, harassment, and commercial exploitation of seals and other marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens.
European Union Bans Most Seal Products
The European Union adopts Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009, largely prohibiting the placing of seal products on the EU market, with limited exemptions, in response to animal welfare and conservation concerns.
How to Celebrate International Day of the Seal
Get creative with ways to show support and celebrate International Day of the Seal, including some of these ideas to get started:
Help Protect Seals
International Day of the Seal is a great time to get involved with groups and charitable organizations that work to protect those animals who can’t protect themselves, including seals.
Sign up to volunteer with such an organization or make a donation to a non-profit that is working hard to change cruel practices, introduce protective legislation, and make the seas and oceans a safer place for seals to live.
Check out some of these groups to see about getting connected:
- Seal Protection Action Group
- Seal Conservation Society
- Marine Mammal Center
- Seal Conservancy
Learn and Share Fun Facts About Seals
An excellent way to increase knowledge and improve awareness for the International Day of the Seal might be to learn some interesting facts and trivia about these fascinating creatures.
Then, share it with coworkers in water cooler conversations, with family members over dinner or with friends over a cup of coffee or glass of wine.
Head over to the local library to check out a book on seals, or get started with some of these fun facts:
Seals vary in size, with the smallest weighing around 90 pounds and the largest can weigh more than 8,000 pounds!
Seals can sleep either on water or on land – usually on land when they are searching for warmth, and they have pups
Seals can hold their breath for a long time, some of them for up to two hours
All seals have ears even if they don’t look like it – they are just located beneath the skin and can’t be seen
Get on board with celebrating not only seals but other amazing marine mammals and wildlife with some other themed days throughout the year, including Marine Mammal Rescue Day in April, International Day of Action Against Canadian Seal Slaughter in March, and World Dolphin Day in September.
International Day of the Seal FAQs
History of International Day of the Seal
International Day of the Seal was first celebrated in 1982 when it was established through the efforts of the United States Congress.
The event’s goal was to raise awareness about and draw attention to the cruelty of practices such as sea hunts, which put these sea creatures at risk. Sadly, some seals are already extinct, while others are still on the endangered list.
The hope was that this type of event would improve public information and promote better protective actions and legislation for these little creatures.
Sometimes also called International Seal Day, this event is typically celebrated in late March, but a small number of locations have it scheduled for observance on January tenth.
