Clinton G. Abbott, a naturalist, worked for the San Diego Natural History Museum. Abbott was made aware that Dr. Ross Dog and Cat Food company was hunting sea lions off the Mexican coastline. Abbott staged an effort to end the hunting, fearing the impact it would have on the sea lion population.
"Dr. Ross Dog Food Company float at the 1939 Rose Parade"
[Image courtesy of Herman Schultheis/Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection]
Abbott holding walrus tusks
[Image courtesy of the San Diego National History Museum]
In 1939, Abbott published "Sea-lion Slaughter", an influential article in “Bird Lore”, an affiliated magazine of the Audubon Society. In his work, he described the impacts of sealing in Mexico and demanded more protections for sea lions. His work was a significant step towards the passing of the MMPA nearly thirty-five years later.
[Image courtesy of Internet Archive]
"The California sea-lion is no mere ‘vermin,’ but is a sentient being of high intelligence. It is the animal used exclusively for the ‘trained seal’ acts of circus and stage, because it alone can be taught to do difficult balancing feats."
"The bullets hit their mark with horrible precision and one by one the sealions rolled off the rocks, leaving the helpless babies to die of horrible slow starvation. Do we call this sport? Any decent human being must feel pity for these creatures."
- Clinton G. Abbott in "Sea-lion Slaughter", 1939
[Image courtesy of Internet Archive]