The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-09
SAVING SEAL MOTHER
sWrgeona' Electric CawteFixing Needle
Used Nv Umlted states Author
A4Gem 20 Mark Females.

PopuIar Electricity: Theodore
Roosevelt. in HE message to congress
on Dec, 4, 1905, said: THE destruc-
ton of the Pribiipf Islands fur seals
by pelagic sealing still continues
In case we are c0mpelled to-
abandon the hope OF making arrange
menfs with other governments TO put
an end to the hideons cruelty now in
cident to pelagfc sealing it Will be q
question tor your serious consideration
how far we shall continue to protect
and maintain the seal herd on land
with the result Of continuing such 9
practice, and whether 1T is not better
to end the practice by e~xtermiuating
the herd ourselves ia the most humane
Sin 1874 cong4ess directed that the
approximate number of fur scala upon
the Pribilof islands be ascertained and
the report placed the number at 400
900. In August, 1905, the entire herd
upon these Islands WAS less than 1&0,-
900 and this together with the reports
of the crueities praotieed In pelagic
vigorous action OF Mr.. Roosevelt. And
since, UP to the present times the Unit
ed States has sought TO protect from
ex5erminstion lts = seal fisheries,
available and feasible means sug-
gested.
IT IS the female seal that must be
E from harm and however ruthless
may be In his desire for gold Is the
thing ne seeks to satisfy. Destroy the
value of the pelt of the mother n
she viii be passed bys even though
her "white-coated pup Is batted over
the head and stripped.
And TO put this mark upon the fe-
mate-the m0ther--the surgeons cleo
trio cauterizing wire has been used by
the United States authorities with suc-
cess. She is branded-her shining fur
and hide is made valueless by the ap-
nIinoffrnM re q 4nfn ftVa1sfNn rrfra fAatnE AZ
Wilderness by current supplied by q
dynamo driven by a gasoline engine.
BY moving this wire once over the
animals body. the hair and fur are
sweeping of the wire across the now
exposed surface destroys the cells SO.
that no more fur can grow there and
the mother In q herd can readily be.
But how Will this affect .~spelagic.
sealing r. The habits of the herds of
the Pribilof Islands will answer this.
Early in May the bulls Of the. herds
south along the Pacific coast take their
places upon the bonider-strewn beach
es and rocky slopes awaiting the ar
rival of the females who come during
the month OF juno. Here he baby
seals are born and fed by the mothers
until November when mothers n
pups" tthe latter swim ct the age
of six weeks) start south for the vim
ter. And it is during this winter mi-
grafton that the mother may W her.
life to the mar left by h electric
branding wire, for sealing vessels
haunt the waters through which the.
herd goes south. The seals are ire
quently found sleeping on the surface
of the water. The sealing vessels
sight them. Boats are lowered and
the hunters put of to the Wtwdward
OF their prey. The spearman stands
in the bow Of the boat, the shaft lis
thrown, h animal tired out and then
the poo brute is drawn aboard to be
ruthlessiy killed with q club.
In the water the female cannot be
distinguished and the hunter kills
every animal fhund. Branded, the scar
red surface is visible. killing the fe-
male seal when going northward in
the spring means also the destruction
of her unborn offspring. killing the.
female In the months OF August n
September while still on the islands
means the death by starvation of the
young seals still under the mothers
care. In 1896 over u.s. 600 young seals
were found dead from starvation on
the pribifof islands.
And this pelagic sealing, against the.
wholesale barbarity and destructive-
ness OF which the United states is
seeking methods and looking to cleo
trictty as a possible means.