The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-26

An effort to save the Alaskan fur
seal from determination is about to be
made by the government scientists at
the New York aquarium. If the ex-
periments that will be undertaken
there are successful. it is probable that
the government will establish some
where on the Atlantic Seaboard a col
ony of fur seals. For this purpose, it
is said, the rock-bound caost of Maine
would be most available. There is
great rookery will be established, the
animals being confined in an Enclosure,
until they become so numerous that it
VIII be safe to let them migrate north
ward.
A few months ago the aquarium re-
celved from Boring sea two baby fur
seals. Today there is only one left,
the female. The seals were brought
here by the bureau of fisheries but on
arrival the male was in poor condition,
and he did not long survive the trip
across the continent. After sixty days
in the aquarium tank he died but an
examination of his body showed that
in those two months he had gained Z
pounds in weight. Carrie, the lone
female, is healthy and hearty, and the
five pounds of fish which she cor
sumes each day has added materially
to her weight. The two seals were
the first from Alaska that ever had
been brought to this city in many
years, and they attracted much atten-
ton.
Since the death of the male the
aquarium has received word that six
more young seals are on their way 10
this city. The last heard from them
they were in a steamer bound Cor
Seattle, where they were due this
week. On their arrival they will be
Grated and sent slowly across the con-
| tlnent to this city, where they will be
placed in the tank with Carrie.
The newcomers were captured in
Norton Sound, near St. Michael,
Alaska. They were taken first to
Nome. on the north side of the sound
and there were placed on the first
steamer that left after the reopeniug
of navigation this spring.
The first attempt to acclimatize the
Alaskan seal into this and other parts
of this country met with little success,
but it is believed that mistakes which
were made at that time have been dis
covered and that remedies have been
found. 1t was a year ago that six
young seals were sent from South
Alaska. Besides the pair that was
sent to this city. one pair went to the
Geological park in Washington and the
other to Golden Gate park in San
Francisco. AS in the case of the pair
which came here, the males died in
both Washington and San Francisco.
But the present experiment will be on
much larger scale. and it is believed
that the animals can be reared sue
ceSsfully.
me establishment or herd of fur
| seals on the Maine coast. it is believed
will be of the greatest commercial
value and help solve a problem that
has been a subject of discussion he
tween this country, Russia and japan
for many years. The terms of the
treaty signed in Paris in 1892 regard
| ing the killing of seals in the Aleutian
| Islands is still in force. and within the
last year the government has still fur
Their restricted the killing Of the ami
mails; yet it is said that they are di-
minishing so rapidly that. unless some
action is taken at once. it will be only
a few years until the fur seal will be
extinct.-New York Times.