The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-28
PLAN TO SAVE THE
BABY SEALS
UNCLE SAM TO ESTABLISH Or
pHANAGES ON NORTHERN
ISLANDS.
,;..v MotherIess Ones Expected in Sc.
attic Soon on Cutter eear-They
will Go to Washington in Special
car-Feeding Tests to BE Made.


When the revenue cutter Bear ar.
uivos in Seattle from the Pribilon ISL
ands she will bring about half hum
drod orphan seal pups, with which the
1rnited States department of fisheries
is Going to conduct experiments in
feeding during the coming winter at
washington, d. c.
According to Capt. Godfrey Lynet
Garden, commanding the revenue cut
for Manning, which arrived from the
pribiloffs a few days ago, the govern
ment is going to establish an asylum
for the orphaned seals.
Private Car Will Meet Them.
"The experiments begun on st. Paul
island which will be continued at the
capital, whittier the young seals will
no transported by private car, which
will meet the Bear at Seattle, are
based on an idea that means money to
our government if it can be carried
out" said Capt. Garden.
"The seal herds go south in the win
fer. They travel through Unimak
mass down the Pacific as far south as
San Diego, Cal. In the spring they
turn back, coming by way OF South
eastern Alaska, across the Gulf Of
Alaska. through Unimak pass and back
to the Pribiloffs. They reach the ISL
ands in early June.
The government has demonstrated,
by branding seals, that they not only
return to the islands, but go back
every year to the island where they
we're born. They are like great hero
of sea cattle turned out to the range,
always coming home to their own pas
ture.
Business and Mercy at Once.
when the seals reach the islands,
the females give birth to pup. Every
few days these females swim out to
sea a distance of thirty miles, where
they find shoal of food fishes, which
they eat They return again to suckle
the pups.
The Japanese are allowed to seal
within three miles of the islands,
which is the international boundary. It
is there they get the seals, and the
seals they take are the mothers swim
ming out to find food for their young.
1T is popularity of the seal COM
munity life that no female will suckle
any but her own pup. For every moth
er that is killed there is pup seal
ashore which will starve to death. We
saw the little fellows all over the rocks
gasping and weakened by lack OF food.
To care for these seals and bring them
to maturity where they can shift for
themselves is not only humane, 1t is
good business.
Cutting Tongues Saves Lives.
The government has established an
agent on each island, and surgeon.
Besides there is Dr. Rahm, of the
Smithsonian Institution, who is spend
ing the winter on the islands, investi-
eating seal life.
A popularity of the young seal is
that the tongue is held in the base of
the mouth by a small ligament, which
prevents its masticating until 1t has
reached certain age. A boatswain
On the Bear was the first man to dis
cover that this ligament could be
Ofoken, and that the pup seal would
tnen eat and thrive on fish. Before
mat the pups had been nursed with a
Oottle, but with Indifferent success.
This year large number of pups
we're collected and their tongues
Anced SO that they could use their
teeth. They thrived on small fish
paced in the tank where they were
Kept. The experimenters also found
mat the pups would eat dead fish. II
uS plan works out it will be possible
!" iced these pups, of which thousands
ue every year, on fish at very slight
expense, and the orphans will bring
ue government valuable revenue to
'epdy the saving of their lives.
Profits Large.
:, Inns year the twenty-year lease 20
~e North American Commercial Com.
Tsls expired, and for the first time the
aui'ed States reaped the benefit OF its
va. al rookeries. Between 10000 and
wv sa'vVo pelts were taken. The company
'a ~, allowed to take 5000 . year.
=, lhese pelts are worth $40 each
due uey will be shipped direct to Lon
.n.' where they will be auctioned on
~ ~ Inc revenue will accrue to the
~'asury of the United States"
'@YhPIA TO GET FIRST