Hunger striker for seals loses two stone

AN ARGYLL man has lost almost two stone in the space of a month while starving himself to draw attention to the plight of Scotland’s declining seal population.

Mark Carter, of Eilean Duirinnis, Bonawe, Oban, is on hunger strike for the duration of the close season for common seals from June 1 to August 31.

Mr Carter, 50, is eating nothing but small pieces of bread that he must take with medication he needs twice daily.

He fears common seals could become extinct in the UK in the next four years and wants to see an end to the practice of the animals being shot by fishermen and fish farmers.

Mr Carter, a member of the Seal Protection Group, has set up an online petition calling on the prime minister to give UK seals the same level of protection as dolphins and otters.

It can be found at: peti tions.number10.gov.uk/ stopsealshooting

He said last night: “I have been losing 1lb a day and I am on target to have lost 2st by Tuesday, which will mark the end of the first month.

“The petition is up and running, I’ve already got more than 180 names and it only has to reach 500 and the prime minister will look into it. Over the weekend I was getting more and more hungry all the time, but I knew that even if I ate something small, it would break the strike and I would have more. Drinking tea and coffee helps to fill you up and now I’m feeling great.”

Mr Carter’s blog can be viewed at: hungerstrike seals.blogspot.com