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Photographer Spent 3 Years Trying To Get His First Shot Of Seals On Ice, Until He Met This Pup…
Alexey Trofimov spent 3 years trying to get his first shoot of seals on the ice, as these cute animals are really shy, cautious, and difficult to photograph. “If a seal pup is not too scared, they will begin to become curious about you and this is what this seal was doing,” Trofimov told Caters News. When the photographer finally managed to get closer to the baby seal near Lake Baikal in Russia, “It was a very rare and special moment.”
While the furry seal baby is the definition of cute, the way they are treated by humans is something of a horror story. For instance, each year in Canada, hudreds of thousands of baby seals are shot or bludgeoned to death. Hunters use metal-hook-tipped clubs and boat hooks to drag half-conscious seals across the ice. Sealers then leave the dying animals to rot on the ice floes, because they can’t make money off seal meal.
More info: Photograph Alexey Trofimov | Facebook (h/t: catersnews)
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Alexy Trofimov spent 3 years trying to get his first shot of seals on the ice
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
When the photographer finally managed to get that close to the baby seal, “It was a very rare and special moment”
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
These cute animals are really shy, cautious, and difficult to photograph
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
“If a seal pup is not too scared, they will begin to become curious about you and this is what this seal was doing”
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
He captured the baby seal when on trip to Lake Baikal: “For the seals, I came on foot”
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
“The photos were taken from different distances, I managed to get fairly close to the pups”
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
“It was particularly difficult to shoot Baikal seal pup on the ice”
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
Trofimov says that his task is “to show not only the beauty, but also the fragility of the world around us”
Image credits: Alexey Trofimov/Caters News
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What do you think ?
Benny Lava 9 years ago
As adorable as these pics are, I can not stop myself from thinking what some people are willing to do to these wonderful creatures in order to earn money. Not to feed themselves but to earn a paycheck. These people live near us, near our children... Sometimes I really don't want to belong to the human race.
Hans 9 years ago
It is sad that with beauty and fascination almost always concerns are combined. Think of whale hinting, think of poaching in Africa. Despite every sane person admitting it is wrong, it will not stop. Nonetheless, the photos here are incredibly adorable!
Koko Sempai 9 years ago
They are soooo cute! but I'm worried about the first pic becuz it looks like he's on thin ice (-_-)
Katinka Min 9 years ago
Reading some of the comments I am a bit confused: Are seal pups STILL hunted for their fur?!? I thought that was banned aeons ago.
Andreas Duess 8 years ago
It was. Boredpanda is not known for the quality of their fact checking, or even copy editing.
Load More Replies...
Emily 9 years ago
Further to the caption for this story: while I agree that in Russia, where these photos were taken, the regulation of the seal hunt is questionable, the hunting of baby whitecoat seals is ILLEGAL in Canada. I would fully recommend looking up Tanya Tagaq's assessment of the seal hunt and, when it becomes more available, watching Angry Inuk for the other side of the story. On that note - very cute pictures!
Kurs3_ 03Insanity013 8 years ago
this reminds me of percy jackson when he uses the baby seal face to get or get out of something
Benny Lava 9 years ago
As adorable as these pics are, I can not stop myself from thinking what some people are willing to do to these wonderful creatures in order to earn money. Not to feed themselves but to earn a paycheck. These people live near us, near our children... Sometimes I really don't want to belong to the human race.
Hans 9 years ago
It is sad that with beauty and fascination almost always concerns are combined. Think of whale hinting, think of poaching in Africa. Despite every sane person admitting it is wrong, it will not stop. Nonetheless, the photos here are incredibly adorable!
Koko Sempai 9 years ago
They are soooo cute! but I'm worried about the first pic becuz it looks like he's on thin ice (-_-)
Katinka Min 9 years ago
Reading some of the comments I am a bit confused: Are seal pups STILL hunted for their fur?!? I thought that was banned aeons ago.
Andreas Duess 8 years ago
It was. Boredpanda is not known for the quality of their fact checking, or even copy editing.
Load More Replies... Emily 9 years ago
Further to the caption for this story: while I agree that in Russia, where these photos were taken, the regulation of the seal hunt is questionable, the hunting of baby whitecoat seals is ILLEGAL in Canada. I would fully recommend looking up Tanya Tagaq's assessment of the seal hunt and, when it becomes more available, watching Angry Inuk for the other side of the story. On that note - very cute pictures!
Kurs3_ 03Insanity013 8 years ago
this reminds me of percy jackson when he uses the baby seal face to get or get out of something
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