THE RE-ENTRANTS 311 



The persecution that caused this change involves the fur, by far the most valuable 

 fur, pelt for pelt, that is known. Fur dealers use the sea otter's fur as the standard 

 of excellence against which all other furs are rated. 



Very shortly after the sea otter's discovery, the massacre began, first by 

 Russians in the north and later by West Coast Indians and the Spaniards of 

 California. Killing them was a simple matter. About all one had to do was walk 

 up to them and club them to death. Upon the first blow of the club the otter 

 yvould in amazingly humanlike fashion lie down, cover its eyes with its forepaws, 

 and submit itself to the punishment. In the water, mothers with cubs were very 

 easilv taken since they would under no circumstances leave their young. It took 

 only about eight years to exterminate the St. Paul herd of the Pribilof Islands, 

 and by as early as the mid-1800's the sea otter existed only as a pitiful remnant 

 over its wide range. The length of time taken for this job of near extinction was 

 only about a third of the time that it took to equally reduce the American bison. 

 The price of a single pelt rose from $6 to $7 in 1785 to $2,500 in the 1920 

 fur boom. 



The mother is verv protective toward her pup, cradling it when fleeing an 

 enemy, and, when asleep, she floats on her back, holding the pup in her arms. 

 Sea otters can make sounds variously described as "whimpering" or "crying" in 

 fright and "crooning" to young. 



The sea otter feeds in kelp, from the shore to 30 miles out to sea, on 

 crustaceans, molluscs, sea urchins, and some fish. It can dive to 300 feet with the 

 aid of its paddlelike hind feet, but it mostly feeds at depths of 30 to 100 feet. 

 After di\'es of a quarter of a minute or up to four or five minutes, the otter 

 surfaces, floats on its back, and eats the morsels off the platter of its chest. 



Thev niav be seen today in scattered bands throughout much of the former 

 range. Herds are making a comeback in Monterey Bay. 



Seals: Suborder Pinnipedia 



These animals are sometimes separated from the carnivores as a full order, 

 but this is probably not justified since they are clearly derived from carnivores 

 and closely related to them, the chief difference being the flipperlike limbs. There 

 are three families, all of which have fish- or mollusc -eating habits, and most of 

 which are of northern seas. They bear young and sleep on land, sometimes 

 gathering in large groups in definite rookeries to do so. The huge bulls gather 

 the cows into large harems for mating. 



All members of this group are intelligent, swift in the water, and of large 

 size. Thev certainly could be dangerous if molested but are usuallv trusting 

 in the water and allow close approach. Swimmers have met the California sea 

 lion under water and found it to be curious but a little too large for comfort. 

 In the presence of pups they are probably dangerous. Young seals, however, are 

 docile and friendly. The huge walrus, which the swimmer will probably never 

 meet, is definitely a dangerous fellow. 



EARED SEALS: Family Otariidae 



These are the familiar seals and sea lions of the fur industrv, San Francisco's 

 Seal Rock, circuses, and zoos. All of them are of rich brown color and have 



