The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting
Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between shooting angle to the head and animal welfare outcomes in the hunt of young harp seals ( Pagophilus groenlandicus ). The study population consisted of young harp seals belonging to the Greenland Sea harp seal population. A samp...
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Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2024
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.8 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0962728624000083 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/awf.2024.8 2024-06-09T07:46:27+00:00 The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting Ryeng, Kathrine A Larsen, Stig E 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.8 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0962728624000083 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Animal Welfare volume 33 ISSN 0962-7286 2054-1538 journal-article 2024 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.8 2024-05-15T13:01:25Z Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between shooting angle to the head and animal welfare outcomes in the hunt of young harp seals ( Pagophilus groenlandicus ). The study population consisted of young harp seals belonging to the Greenland Sea harp seal population. A sample of 171, 2–7 weeks old, weaned harp seals of both sexes were included. The study was conducted as an open, randomised parallel group designed trial during the regular hunt. The animals were allocated into four groups, A–D, according to the observed shooting angle to the head, defined as the angle between the direction of the shot and the longitudinal axis of the animal’s head: (A) directly from the front; (B) obliquely from the front; (C) directly from the side; and (D) obliquely or directly from behind. Instantaneous death rate (IDR) and time to death (TTD) were the main variables. The mean IDR differed significantly between groups and was highest in group B (96.8%) and lowest in group C (66.7%). For all groups combined it was 84.2%. The mean TTD for seals not rendered instantaneously unconscious or dead (n = 27) differed significantly between groups and was shortest in group A (16 s) and longest in group C (85 s). However, the number of animals included in the TTD analysis was limited. In conclusion, based on the significantly higher IDR, the shooting angle obliquely from the front is recommended to help achieve the best animal welfare outcomes during the hunt of young harp seals. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Greenland Sea Harp Seal Pagophilus groenlandicus Cambridge University Press Greenland Animal Welfare 33 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between shooting angle to the head and animal welfare outcomes in the hunt of young harp seals ( Pagophilus groenlandicus ). The study population consisted of young harp seals belonging to the Greenland Sea harp seal population. A sample of 171, 2–7 weeks old, weaned harp seals of both sexes were included. The study was conducted as an open, randomised parallel group designed trial during the regular hunt. The animals were allocated into four groups, A–D, according to the observed shooting angle to the head, defined as the angle between the direction of the shot and the longitudinal axis of the animal’s head: (A) directly from the front; (B) obliquely from the front; (C) directly from the side; and (D) obliquely or directly from behind. Instantaneous death rate (IDR) and time to death (TTD) were the main variables. The mean IDR differed significantly between groups and was highest in group B (96.8%) and lowest in group C (66.7%). For all groups combined it was 84.2%. The mean TTD for seals not rendered instantaneously unconscious or dead (n = 27) differed significantly between groups and was shortest in group A (16 s) and longest in group C (85 s). However, the number of animals included in the TTD analysis was limited. In conclusion, based on the significantly higher IDR, the shooting angle obliquely from the front is recommended to help achieve the best animal welfare outcomes during the hunt of young harp seals. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ryeng, Kathrine A Larsen, Stig E |
spellingShingle |
Ryeng, Kathrine A Larsen, Stig E The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
author_facet |
Ryeng, Kathrine A Larsen, Stig E |
author_sort |
Ryeng, Kathrine A |
title |
The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
title_short |
The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
title_full |
The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
title_fullStr |
The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
title_full_unstemmed |
The significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
title_sort |
significance of shooting angle in seal shooting |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.8 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0962728624000083 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Greenland Sea Harp Seal Pagophilus groenlandicus |
genre_facet |
Greenland Greenland Sea Harp Seal Pagophilus groenlandicus |
op_source |
Animal Welfare volume 33 ISSN 0962-7286 2054-1538 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.8 |
container_title |
Animal Welfare |
container_volume |
33 |
_version_ |
1801376309232795648 |