You might want to sit down for this: not long ago, one of central Vietnam’s beloved seals was found brutally murdered on a beach at night.
Thuy, owner of a local restaurant in the vicinity of the creature’s most popular hangout, told Zing the seal was beaten on Doi Duong Beach in Binh Thuan province on December 1.
“The seal was attacked to death while hanging out on the shore. Local residents buried it after discovering its carcass,” she added, according to the news outlet.
Locals said the marine animal was found at 9pm with various wounds on its body and head. Binh Thuan officials haven’t commented on the incident, but the gory images of the ill-fated seal have already made the rounds on social media.
Most Vietnamese netizens are enraged and horrified by the brutal attack and urged relevant authorities to track down the culprit. Some are of the opinion that disgruntled local fishermen might be behind the kill as seals, which occasionally cause damage to fishing nets and eat harvested fish, are commonly seen as pests by fishing communities.
According to Phan Minh, a lawyer from the Ho Chi Minh City's Lawyer Union, Vietnamese criminal law carries a fine from VND5-50 million as well as imprisonment for individuals who deliberately harm protected wild animals. "Therefore, the culprit of the seal murder could face up to three years in jail, if caught," Minh told Zing.
The creature might belong to a pod of spotted seals that took to Binh Thuan's beaches earlier last year.
The 50-kilogram seal is not the first of its kind to be harmed by locals. According to VnExpress, two seals were reportedly caught and sold in the region five months ago.
[Photo via Zing]
