Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-01-23
ILLEGAL 70 KILL
ALASKAN SEALS
ON HIGH SEAS
Federal Government Will Now
Be Able to Protest Senseless
Slaughter of Fur Jacket
Bearing Animals.

Coal ana lumber are not tho only
commodities to which the principles
OF conservatism are being applied IN
ALASKA The fur bearing seal Is com
ing in for his share OF consideration,
aud. according 10 Hugh NJ. Smith
United states deputy commissioner OF
Fisheries. who writes for the National
Geographic Magazine. It is mgn time
10 do little conservation or seals.
while there are still seals left to con
serve.
The United states, Great Britain,
Russia and japan have entered an
agreement. which became effective
last month and which will result In
protection for the fur bearing seals
at the North Pacific ocean for a per
Tod of re- years Tho agreement pro-
vdes that the Killing az seals while
in the water must cease altogether
and places tho legitimate killing oil
surplus male seals on land under the
direct control of the governments IN.
tcrcsted Tho female of the species
are not To- be slain under any cir
cumstances.
4 group Of small rocky islands. 2l5
miles north az tnalaska Island. are
the only hand which the Alaska seals
ever frequent These islands. known
as the Prihilois are small and rough
and extre nelly ruggod. From October
60 May they are absolutely cur OF
from the outside world. except for
communication by wireless telegra-
ply About three hundred natives live
on the islands
When the United states acquired
Alaska I'm 1867 % was estimated that
the seal herds that swarmed over the
Pdhilof Islands numbered between
two end one-half and -four million. To
day there arc not more than one hun
drcd and fifty thousand. This APP
pallng dccreaFc IN the seal herds has
been Disc largely 90 unfortunate inter
national complications which have
prevented the United states from pro-
tecting che seals az @ has wished TO-
Fur bearing seals are marketedly
different from hair SEALS" bearing
strong anatomical resemblance ia
bears and are therefore often known
as sea bonrs The adult males arc
known GA bulls. however, ard the te-
males as COWS The young instead
oft being calves or cubs, are called
pups. and tho young males are ON
cinlly known as bachelors Tho
bachelors, hy the way. are the oniy
seals upon which man Is now allowed
10 make war although woman SUI
frngc has nos influenced the govern.
mcnes action IN this matter The
family unit among seals Is known as
the harem, and consists of one bull
and any number of females mp 20 liity
The COWS go south IN the winter re-
turning 20 The islands early I'm Juno
There they give birth 10 young Crowd
ed together. the seals live durine the
warm months upon certain rocky
beaches and hiilsidcg nee" the water
known as ronkcrles, which have been
seal haunts from time immemorial
Male seals up to The time they are Z
years old. do not have harcms. nor ar,
they allowed 20 hang around the bar
ems OF others SO they live together
IN colonies separate from the married
quarters and are known as bachelors
They frequently fight with the male
heads Of families and when they are
old enough and strong enough 50
down and rob the henedicts of wife
or two hy main force,
Fish form the diet OF seals, and 10 Il
nm interesting fact that the summo
home of the Alaska seals is In a re-
Flon sinsularly deficient In fish lile
The nearest feeling grounds are lO
miles away. and there L.e COW seal
mako regular trips every Eve or tei
days The bachelors, being creature
of leisure. eat less often and The bal
seals eat nothing from about The Ia
at May until the latter part OF Jul,
living on land all that while and as
listing on the surplus fat acquired dur
ing the winter
lndiscrtmlnate slaughter of seat
male and female. during the breedin
season has resulted IN the decrease !
their numbers Seal fishers who hay
hunted down their Victims while g0in
10 or returning from the iocdin
grounds have been the principal ol
Tenders. Seals are able 20 sloep In IN
water with only the tips of the
noses out of water, and the slnuRhtG
of sleeping seals has played a lars
part In bringing about present cond
tons The killing of the female sea
meant the death OF the pups lett h
hind on the islands. Until the int
national agreement was drawn q