Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-07-14
CRUELTY OF SEAL HUNTING.
Wholesale Depletion Called for Gov
eminent interference.

Among the fashionable furs for sew
eral seasons sealskin has been con-
spicuous by its absence, and there IS
no doubt that the wane of its popH-
larity can be traced to mans inhuman-
ity This is rather startling state
ment, but facts point to the truth OF
it. The wholesale and indiscriminate
slaughter of these gentle and harm
less animals has, in the course OF
years, had it's effect; the method
pursued by the British government
alone being sufficient to ultimately
exterminate the fur seal.
1t may not be generally known that
what is called the fur seal is, prop
erly speaking, the sea bear, and is
probably more nearly related to the
bear than to the true seal. A note
worthy item is that the short, soft,
thick fur, which is SO beautiful, is
generously sprinkled with a long,
stiff, white hair, which, in the process
of dressing, must be removed.
There are two methods employed in
the hunting, one, referred to above
as pursued by the British government,
being the open sea, or pelag1c, seal
ing. The animals are killed by spear
ing them as they lay peacefully sleep
ing on the water. The raids" are
made in the breeding season, and the
males do not feed during that time,
but when the puppy seals are about
week old the mother ventures out to
sea in search of food. After feeding
she lays asleep on the water, and the
sealers steal upon her and end her
life. The pups left on land are too
small and feeble to care for them
selves. and they are simply allowed
to starve to death on the frozen snow.
During the nineteenth century the
destruction of breeding females, liter
ally by the millions. sadly depleted
the herds and practically exterminat-
ed them in southern waters, whence
came the most valuable skins. They
have, for some time, been protected
by the government, and pelagic seal
ing in northern waters is limited as
to time place and manner, while only
licensed sealing vessels are permit
ted to engage in fur sealing.
While the British method elimin-
ates the reproductive class and Is
cruel in it's results, the Americans,
who kill on land and select only
bachelor" seals, are far more bar
barous and inhuman in their killing
The land drive" in itself untold suf-
fering for these animals, fitted with
no feet for dry land and compelled
to hitch along with great strain on
the lumbar region, is the least OF the
cruelties practiced in the killing.
Many drop by the wayside during the
drive" and are left to die, the skins
of all such having no market value.
The hunting season is very short.
as the animals are prime" for only
twenty.eight or thirty days. Conse-
quently, everything is done in great
haste. The drive" which extends
over miles of rough, stony country.
from the sea to the vicinity of some
village, is hurried and inhuman. They
are allowed to rest occasionally, and
again at the killing grounds, but for
purely commercial reasons, for II
killed while over heated and in a
state of exhaustion the fur would be
valueless. The next step is to mar
shall them in long column of from
three to five abreast and drive them
between men armed with heavy clubs.
anr as they pass their skulls are
crushed. The great rapidity with
which this work is conducted pre-
vents the certainty of instant death.
and as they are cast aside in great
piles, many lie there suffering.
The poorer class, the SCARED, and
those whose fur is not in good CON
dition, together with the breeding
seals, are allowed to find their way
back to the sea.