52 Muttilated Seals since July 2008

[Skymon876]

One of 52 seals since July 2008, that have washed up
on Norfolk, England, and St. Andrews Bay, Scotland, beaches mysteriously
sliced with a “corkscrew” cut beginning from head (right). Similar cuts
have been found on Canadian seals. A smooth-edged slice corkscrews around
the seal body - sometimes stopping midway or continuing around to hind
flippers (above). Image © Universal News and Sport Scotland.

http://www.earthfiles.com/

 

[The Pair of Cats]

Hi Ryan.
The first thing that comes to mind would be a laceration from a large propeller but I am definately not an expert on those matters.
An interesting story non the less.

 

[Skymon876]

Hi Ryan.
The first thing that comes to mind would be a laceration from a large propeller but I am definately not an expert on those matters.
An interesting story non the less.

I was leaning in that direction also.

This muttilation stuff is gross I don't see how Chris O'brien can investigate it.

 

[ALPHA ROMEO UNIFORM]

I was leaning in that direction also.

This mutilation stuff is gross I don't see how Chris O'brien can investigate it.

Unless some deep seal creature eels :exclamation:has been forced to higher depth's in search of food and I know white pointers like as bit of seal . It reminds me of swimming last year at the beach and a massive white pointer 4/5m was seen 20 meters out from us and there was people out there swimming I yelled but they kept on swimming it just luck of draw none of them were not fish food. Seal mutilation hasn't there been cats, dog and wild birds, beavers, etc apart from the cow and deer?

 

[Ron Collins]

Hi Ryan.
The first thing that comes to mind would be a laceration from a large propeller but I am definately not an expert on those matters.
An interesting story non the less.

That was my first thought as well.

 

[Xylo]

My first thought was Dolphins.

But the injuries aren't quite the same. Would be interesting to see what internal injuries there were and if they correlated at all.

 

[Christopher O'Brien]

This muttilation stuff is gross I don't see how Chris O'Brien can investigate it.

Believe-it-or-not, I can't stand to be around dead livestock. On some cases the smell of cadavarene has been so strong it made my eyes water and if not for the dab of Vicks under my nose, I don't think I would be able to get the close-up shots, or obtain forensic samples. Unfortunately, when I started investigating these cases in the SLV, no one else was willing to do the work, so I took it upon myself to try and help the victimized ranchers. It is probably one of THE most difficult things I've ever done, but after a few dozen, you get used to it I suppose.

As far as these seal cases--I think there is something bizarre about these mammal deaths. The consistency of the wounds and the corkscrew pattern is highly unusual--I've never heard of this before and I hope that someone or group is conducting scientific testing to ascertain what killed and disfigured these poor creatures. I can't think of any natural cause that would leave the seals in the condition they have been found. I don't think that a single ships propeller(s) could do this to so many animals. They ain't exactly dumb, they would get out of the way. No, I think something else is responsible, but who knows?

 

[Skymon876]

Believe-it-or-not, I can't stand to be around dead livestock. On some cases the smell of cadavarene has been so strong it made my eyes water and if not for the dab of Vicks under my nose, I don't think I would be able to get the close-up shots, or obtain forensic samples. Unfortunately, when I started investigating these cases in the SLV, no one else was willing to do the work, so I took it upon myself to try and help the victimized ranchers. It is probably one of THE most difficult things I've ever done, but after a few dozen, you get used to it I suppose.

As far as these seal cases--I think there is something bizarre about these mammal deaths. The consistency of the wounds and the corkscrew pattern is highly unusual--I've never heard of this before and I hope that someone or group is conducting scientific testing to ascertain what killed and disfigured these poor creatures. I can't think of any natural cause that would leave the seals in the condition they have been found. I don't think that a single ships propeller(s) could do this to so many animals. They ain't exactly dumb, they would get out of the way. No, I think something else is responsible, but who knows?

But you do hell of good work Chris, I own your books and consider you a fine researcher.

 

[pixelsmith]

Look at injuries on manatees, walrus, whales etc and it it not at all unusual. google manatee propeller strike. whale propeller injury, etc...
IMO, being the injuries go all the way around would probably be due to the small size of the seal being twirled around by a propeller, a larger animal like a manatee could not be spun around like that so easily so their injuries are typically just down their back.

Or.. an alien was having fun with a new mutilation device.

 

[Christopher O'Brien]

Look at injuries on manatees, walrus, whales etc and it it not at all unusual. google manatee propeller strike. whale propeller injury, etc...
IMO, being the injuries go all the way around would probably be due to the small size of the seal being twirled around by a propeller, a larger animal like a manatee could not be spun around like that so easily so their injuries are typically just down their back.

Or.. an alien was having fun with a new mutilation device.

If it was a single case of even two or three, yes but not 52. That's inconceivable to me. IMO something else is probably going on here.

 

[pixelsmith]

If it was a single case of even two or three, yes but not 52. That's inconceivable to me. IMO something else is probably going on here.

52 in two years may not be that inconceivable really. If they traveled in a pack and 6 or more were injured at one time, it would add up quickly. But then 52 is what washed up, how many did not?