The dewy-eyed innocence of baby seals has prompted a rare burst of environmental activism in Russia that has moved Vladimir Putin to end their slaughter. The annual spring cull in the northern White Sea region has been scrapped after Mr Putin condemned the clubbing of baby seals for their fur as a “bloody trade”.

The Natural Resources and Ecology Ministry said that it was responding to public concern, but the Prime Minister’s words appeared to have been decisive.

Yuri Trutnev, the Natural Resources Minister, reacted swiftly, outlawing the cull of harp seals younger than one year old after Mr Putin told a Cabinet meeting that “it’s clear that it should have been banned long ago”.

The ministry said: “This is a serious step forward to protect Russia’s biological diversity. This decision was made largely thanks to public environmental organisations which took an active position on this issue.” Conservation groups have staged protests in 20 Russian cities this week, demanding an end to the slaughter. Activists accused Norwegian companies of encouraging the killing because seal hunting was no longer allowed in their own country.

Environmental groups said yesterday that they were delighted by their victory after 15 years of campaigning. Igor Belyatsky, spokesman for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said: “It’s obvious that without Putin it would have been more difficult. The quick reaction of the authorities was because of his words. When someone like Putin speaks in favour of a ban then it is difficult to oppose it.”

Igor Chestin, the chief executive of the WWF in Russia, said that it would now press the Transport Ministry to restrict ship movements near the seals’ breeding grounds because global warming was thinning ice cover in the White Sea. An estimated 5,000 “whitecoat” seals less than two weeks old were dying after falling prematurely into the sea because ships were breaking the ice, he said. Villagers in the region opposed a ban, arguing that earnings from the cull were vital to their communities. The Government said that it would provide 48 million roubles (£1 million) in financial support to hunters over the next three years.

Mr Putin, who enjoys an action-man image and has been photographed bare-chested with a hunting rifle, has clearly had a change of heart over the plight of baby seals. As President, he vetoed legislation in 2000 that would have banned seal hunting despite a 273-1 vote in favour in parliament.

Death on the ice

— Annual quotas previously allowed up to 35,000 baby seals to be killed in the White Sea in March

— Hunters normally club seal pups to kill them to avoid damaging pelts

— The International Fund for Animal Welfare reported the birth of about 300,000 seals in the White Sea population in 2003 and only 120,000 in 2008

— The world’s largest annual commercial seal hunt, due to begin this month, takes place in Canada

— 207,000 seals were caught in Canada last year, earning the 6,000 licensed sealers a total of $7 million (£4.8 million)

— The EU is considering a ban on all seal products

Source: Times Archive

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