Hatem Yavuz and the Namibian Fur Seal Cull

Despite Namibia's constitutional devotion to preserving its environment and biological diversity, it remains one of just three places in the world which allows seal culling-- massive annual seal hunts in which animals are professionally killed for commercial purposes. The other places are Canada and Greenland, which unlike Namibia retain strong indigenous connections to seal harvesting. Namibia's seal cull is persistently criticized by animal rights groups for its inhumane processes, which many believe do not provide the animals with a quick death. This international criticism has grown so intense the government has closed seal cull areas to media and public during the culling event in recent years.

So why does Namibia continue to allow this questionable operation? Because it is economically viable, with seal oil, genitalia, and pelts all sold overseas for high prices. In particular, this ongoing economic incentive can be traced to one man who single-handedly controls an estimated 60 - 80% of the international seal product trade. This man, Hatem Yavuz, is a Turkish-Australian dual citizen whose family has made fur coats (which Yavuz compares to luxury cars like Bentleys) for generations. 

Yavuz employs about 120 hunters, veterans of regional wars, to participate in the seal cull and harvest the pelts that his fur company sews into coats which they sell for thousands of dollars to wealthy customers mainly in Russia and China. He defends his practice as an ancient family business, and as simply the supply to a demand for wild fur coats which he does not control. He recently responded to critics by creating a new label, Fok You, playing on the Turkish word for seal: fok. 

Yavuz's share of the market is so huge that if it were possible to shut down his business, the Namibian seal cull would probably end, or at least be hugely reduced. However, he is deeply tied to the Namibian government-- he was named Honorary Consul to Turkey, and he pays royalties to them from his sales. He also has shady ties to the De Beers of the diamond industry, who own land that he has rights to cull seals on. Even Namibia's ombudsman, the official in charge of investigating environmentalist issues, has condoned the cull on somewhat sketchy grounds. 

Unfortunately it seems the seal cull will go on indefinitely with the Namibian government unwilling to cut their financial ties to Yavuz. The best hope for stopping the seal cull is probably some kind of international ban on the fur trade, or at least strict enforcement of humane culling practices. In my opinion, it's an awful practice and there's no good reason for it to continue. 

-Madelyn

Sources: 

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/wildlife-watch-cape-fur-seal-trade-Namibia/

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-seal-fur-magnate-responds-to-western-criticism-with-new-brand-fok-you-74529

https://economist.com.na/1899/general-news/meet-mr-fur-hatem-yavuz/

https://secure.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/namibian-seal-slaughter/

Oceanic Diamond Mining

As we learned from Steven Press yesterday, the open-pit diamond mines of Namibia monopolized by the De Beers are slowly declining. Some hypothesize that by 2050 production from these mines might stop completely. However, mining companies are now expanding operations into the Atlantic, using giant vacuum-like hoses to pull diamonds up from the bottom of the ocean, as illustrated in the diagram below.

Though the concept of underwater mining was initially explored decades ago, technology is only now making it economically viable. This is a concerning prospect for environmentalists, who are scrambling to ensure that adequate regulation is created before the industry booms and mining occurs without consideration of environmental consequences. 

Thus off-shore diamond mining puts Namibia in a difficult spot, as a country economically dependent on diamonds (supplying about 10% of the GDP) but also constitutionally committed to environmentalism. The De Beers group is obviously very interested in pushing the Namibian government toward mining, and they named their new diamond-seeking ship (with state-of-the-art technology) the SS Nujoma after the last Namibian president. 

- Madelyn

Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/a-new-frontier-for-diamond-mining-the-ocean/2017/07/01/a04d5fbe-0e40-4508-894d-b3456a28f24c_story.html?utm_term=.105186c767e5

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/deep-sea-mining-five-facts/

http://www.bdo.com.na/en-gb/industries/natural-resources/mining-in-namibia

https://www.wealthdaily.com/resources/underwater-mining-companies/11

http://www.nbc.na/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/SS%20Nujoma.JPG?itok=fhbqP_oD

The AfriCat Foundation

The AfriCat Foundation was founded in 1991 on Okonjima Farm in central Namibia. Their mission was to contribute to the long term protection and conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, particularly big cats.

There is constant conflict between the large carnivores of Namibia and farmers. Large cats have been known to wander into farmer’s land from protected wilderness areas and kill livestock. Since 1993, AfriCat has saved over 1080 large carnivores trapped on farm land and successfully released over 85% of them. Those animals that could not be released, such as if they were orphaned, weak, or old, are cared for in the AfriCat Carnivore Care Centre.

Over the years the AfriCat Foundation has worked to increase education and public support for the conservation of large carnivores as well as human wildlife conflict mitigation strategies. Conservation through education is a large part of their current program. As of 2010, Okonjima Nature Reserve was created as an area for “environmental education and the research and rehabilitation of captive carnivores”. Tourists can come visit the reserve and support the foundation’s work.

- Stephanie Sila

Namibian Independence Day Budget Controversy

This week, one of the largest stories featured in The Namibian, Namibia's popular daily paper, has the striking headline "Broke Govt to Spend on Independence Day." As others have noted in recent weeks, balancing the national budget has proved to be problematic for members of the Namibian government.



Independence Day celebrations are expected to take place on the 21st of March this year in Tsumeb in the Oshikoto region. It's notable that this is the closest town to Etosha National Park. Although Calle Schlettwein, finance minister of Namibia, would not give an exact figure for the events, an expected multimillion-dollar budget has been set aside to cover costs. In 2015, the government spent over $20 million (in Namibian dollars) on a combined expense of Independence Day celebrations and also President Hage Geingob's inauguration.

Schlettwein has been quoted saying that Independence Day is the most important public holiday Namibia has. When approached with suggestions to make Independence Day a national cleanup day in neighborhoods rather than a showy, expensive affair, Schlettwein rebuked the possibility.

Meanwhile, Stanley Simataa - minister of information - has publicly stated interest in cutting costs around the celebration.

Sources:

https://www.namibian.com.na/64762/read/Broke-Govt-to-spend-on-Independence-Day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Namibia

- Cecilia A. 

New Masters in Anesthesia Program at the University of Namibia

The University of Namibia has just announced a new course in its university program that would allow people to specialize and become anesthetists. This is the first time the specialty is available in Namibia.

Anesthetists are vitally important medical professionals in charge of administering anesthetic for medical procedures and surgery. The new specialty could critically transform medical care in Namibia by promoting the increase of the number of anesthetists in the country which currently has acute shortages. These shortages have lead to long waiting lists for surgical procedures and inadequate pain management for patients. The first six students have just started the new Masters in Anesthesia program which was created in partnership with Cardiff University in Wales, United Kingdom.

Stephanie Sila