New Britain herald., 1923-04-10
SEAL PROTECTION
INCREASES Herds
Good Hunting Season Is Predicted
by the Indians

Vancouver. B, c., April 1O.--A con.
seryatiye estimate places the number
of fur seals In the North Pacific al
100000. as compared with only 1885,
600 when the government adopted
protective measures in 1911, and the
Indians predict good hunting sea-
son, The original body before white
men depleted IT,, has been estimated
at Ave million animals.
Swim Along Shore.
About the time that the spring
salmon arc at the height of their
runs on the west coast of Vancouver
Island, the fur seals of the Pacific
swim northward along the shore
bound for the rookeries on the Aleu-
tan and Pribiloff Islands. The west
coast Indians thereupon quit salmon
fishing to seek the valuable pelt-bear-
ing animals
NO white man may catch the seals,
but the Dominion government when
agreeing to stop seal hunting. insist
ed that the coast Indians, who had
made part of their living from these
creatures for many generations,
should continue to have the right to
seal during the spring migration of
the herds. The red men must how
ever continue TO use the primitive
spears and methods of their fore
fathers. No guns may he employed.
Collect Over $4,000
Even under these restrictions the
west coast Indians collect usually
about $4,000 from the creatures
Last season was a bad one, as the
seals passed north far at sea on ac-
count of severe storms and the In
dians in their cockleshel canoes and
small fishing boats could not venture
out as far as the new line of migra-
ton.
The herds are protected under
treaty made many years ago between
the United Staes Great Britain. Japan
and Russia. Each year a certain num-
Der of animals are killed by naval
patrol crews of the countries inter-
ested and the proceeds of the sales of
the pelts are split among the four.
Tho north bound seal herds are
somewhere off the coast of California
now. Where they come from no one
is sure though it is believed by ex-
perts that they winter on some bare
islands ON the Asatic side, south of !
Japan, and cross the Pacific to strike |
the American coast and follow it to
the Arctic rookeres.
Stay With Certain Temperature
Some contend they stay with a GER |
tain temperature OF water following it |
north to the Aleutians during the |
summer and south along the coast of |
Asia in fall and winter; thence across
the Pacific north of the equator to the
coast of California, arriving there
again in spring and swinging north /
of the never ending circuit.
AS an argument in support of this
contention of even water temperature,
it is pointed out that the fur of the
animals is prime at all times of the
year
Since seal poachers have been sue
cessfully excluded from the rookeries
and the four governments have kept
a constant and paternal eye on the
breeding places of the Aleutians and
Pribiloffs, the life of the herds has
been far more placid and even, and
the numbers are increasing to such
an extent that it is positively pre-
dicted there will be as many seals in
the packs in 1886 as there was before
the sealers began to raid rookeries
many years ago.
Have No Diseases.
Seals suffer from no diseases, their
loses being chiefly caused by inferno
cine wars between bulls, and the in
roads of enemies in the ocean and
on land. Every year the bulls used
to stage bloody war in the struggle
to secure harems, and great losses re-
suited. The government inspection
has put an end to these battles,
through killing male pups in excess
of one for every 20 females.
Miss Nicklin, who died recently at
Foleshill, Warwickshire, England, hao
lived in one house 20 years, never
sleeping outside it single night.