Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-02-05

80 NDER the LSEl1S "a q AC0hS WI
Guided at Washington by the
United States, Great Britain,
Russia and Japan, the fur seals
of the north Pacific ocean are
destined to obtain for the first time
form of protection that recent expert
ence has shown to be absolutely essen
tial for the conservation of the seal
herds. The agreement between these
four great powers prohibits Tor
period of Is years the indiscrlmlnate
slaughter of seals while at sea, and
places the legitimate killing OF surplus
seals on land under the immediate con-
troll Of the nations having sovereignty
over the islands to which the seals re-
sort for breeding purposes. The ma
tions which may be said to hold
kind of property right in fur seal herds
are the United States, Russia and
Japan. The interests of Great Britain
In this matter arise from the existence
of an extensive feet of sealing vessels
that for many years had been operat-
Ing from British Columbia ports off the
coasts of America, Russia and Japan.
Although fur seals are found in both
the northern and southern hemi-
spheres, the largest herds are those of
| the north Pacific, which represent
three closely-related species distin-
guished by peculiarities in form, physi-
ognomy and pelage and known as the
Alaskan, Russian and Japanese fur
seals respectively. The herds roam
widely ON the high seas, and their wa
ter .habitats approach one another if
they do not overlap; but the different
species do not associate, and always
resort for breeding purposes to par
| ticular islands. 1t is this habit which
gives certain nations a temporary jur-
| lsdiction and control over them, and
has created several international com
plications.
Go Far South.
The Japanese fur seal, which is the
least abundant, never visits any land
except Robben reef and some tiny
| Islands OF the Kuril chain. The Rus
sian fur seal, the next in abundance,
never resorts to any shores except
those of the Commander islands, lying
| far off the east coast of Kamtchatka.
The Alaskan fur seal, far more numer-
GUS than the Others, roams over
large part of the eastern Pacific ocean,
as far south as southern California,
and makes an annual pilgrimage to the
Pribilof islands in Boring sea. These
islands, which came to the United
States in 1867, when Russia ceded jur-
lsdiction over Alaska, and are the sole
land resort of the Alaskan fur seal,
have brought on the country much do
nestle and international turmoil 1t is
cause for great satisfaction in the
United States, as 1t must be also in
The other countries involved, that wise
craftsmanship has prevailed over any
untoward influences that may have
prevented an earlier settlement of the
fur seal question, and has resulted In
! this convention, which insures the res
cue Of the depleted fur seal herds of
both America and Asia from CONNER
eial extinction.
! Although the seals are easily killed
| by the methods adopted by man for
their destruction on sea and land. thev
are capable of withstanding great pr
walton and Of undergoing extraordi-
| nary muscular exertion.
To maintain themselves during the
winter without resorting to land is in
| Itself no small accomplishment for air
breathing, land-breeding animals. The
/ females, leaving the islands In Novem-
Der, go further south then any other
members of the herd, and in December
/ @ep
they remain until March. They then
begin their long return journey, reach
| ing the islands early in June. The seals
subsist chiefly on squid, but also or
| smelt, herring, salmon and other kinds
| OF fish, which are caught and eaten in
/ the water.
Easy for the Males.
The bachelor seals, having few re-
sponsibilities and cares, require less
food than the mother seals. and make
| less frequent and less expeditions trips
to the feeding-g They pass
much of their time sleeping on land or
playing in the watzr near the shores.
The old bulls, however, have the most
extraordinary vitality. Arriving on the
/ AoAoAoo oOouS 0nny A. tliSy 10Iudtu con-
| stantly on land until the last of July or
| the early part of August without eat
ing single thing or even drinking,
but living on the great amount of fat
they have stored up while at sea. Dur
| ing all this time they maintain most
| vigilant watch over their harem, and
/ are always ready to repel invaders,
whether human or others, and to fight
IN, fp;cb