The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-08
SEAL PROTECTION
INCREASES HERDS
MANY THOUSANDS
Number of Fur Bearing AMI
mails More Than
Tripled

VANCOUVER, B. c., April IA con-
sentative estimate places the number
of fur seals in the North Pacific at
500 900 as compared with only 1885,,
900 when the government adopted
protective measures in 1911. and the
Indians predict a good hunting sea-
son. The original body, before vhite
men depleted it, has been estimated
at 100000 animals.
About the time that the spring
salmon are 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 peIt-
bearing 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 mad
made part of their living f'om 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
ldlutlS NO y uHS may NC SibPAoS SN'
Even under these restrictions the
west coast Indians collect usually
about 100000 from the creatures.
Last season was a bad one. as the
seals passed north far at sea on
account of severe storms, and the
Indians in their cockleshell canoes and
small fishing boats could not ven
ture out as far as the new line of
migration.
Herds Protected.
The herds are protected under
treaty made many years ago between
the United States, Great Britain.
Japan and Russia. Each year Ger
tain number of animals are killed
by naval patrol crews of the coun-
tries interested, and the proceeds of
the sales of the pelts are split among
the four.
The northbound seal herds are
somewhere off the coast of California
now Where they come from no one
is sure, though it is believed by e.
perts that the winter on some bare
islands on the Asiatic side. south of
Japan, and cross the Pacific to strike
the American coast and follow II 10
the Arctic rookeries.
Some contend they stay with GER
tain temperature of water. following
it north to the Aleutians during the
of Asia in fall and winter; thence
across the Pacific north of the equa-
tor to the coast of California, ar
irving there again in spring and
swinging north on the never-ending
circuit.
AS an argument in support OF this
contention of even water tempera-
ture, 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 ana
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 of 1886 as there was
before the sealers began to raid rock
cries many years ago.
Seals suffer from no diseases, their
losses being chiefly caused by inter
necine wars between bulls, and the
inroads of enemies in the ocean q, 4
on land Every year the bulls used
to stage bloody war in the strug-
gle to secure harems, and great losses
resulted. The government inspection
has nut an end to these battles.
through killing male pups in excess
of one for every 20 females.
IMPERIAL PRECEDENT BROKEN
TOXIC. April Another imperial
precedent of Japan has gone by the
boards. Prince Jujimaro Yamashina.
third son of Prince Kikumora YAM
asthma, has decided to enter the I'm
perial University at Toxic as a stu
dent of literature. Heretofore impe-
rial princes by custom have entered
eithe the military or naval service,
hence Prince Yamashina is the first
of the royal family to attend uni
versity. He is a graduate of the