ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 19 3 2 73 



tlio luuilin^ out of bachelor seals particularly, as these animals have 

 not sexually matured, and there is no real reason for their visiting 

 the islands/ Moreover, a lack of food or a superabundance of natural 

 enemies may have caused a higher mortality rate at sea this year 

 than in other recent years. A great many whales were observed 

 this season in the vicinity of the islands, which is rather unusual, 

 and it is possible that an abundance of killer whales had something 

 to do with the shortage of seals. 



Because the Aveather was unfavorable for the hauling out of 

 bachelor seals during the latter part of the season, killings were con- 

 tinued until July 29, after which the presence of large numbers of 

 cows and 2-year-olcl males in the drives made further killings 

 inadvisable. 



From July 30 to August 2, 1,200 3-year-old males on St. Paul 

 Island and i,809 on St. George Island were marked for breeding 

 stock by shearing a patch of fur. It would have been possible to 

 mark many more, especially on St. Paul Island, but the annual 

 supply vessel arrived there on August 1 and it was necessary to use 

 all hands in unloading cargo. Subsequent observations showed a 

 large number of 3-year-old males on the various hauling grounds. 



BULLS 



A census was again taken of harem and idle bulls. As usual, it 

 was necessary to estimate the numbers on some inaccessible portions 

 of rookeries, but it is felt that these estimates and the actual number 

 counted approximate very closely the total number of bulls on the 

 islands this season. 



At the time the census was taken large numbers of surplus breeding 

 bulls were still on the hauling grounds, showing that the number 

 reserved the last 7 years w^as ample to take care of all breeding 

 requirements. This surplus is very necessary, or many virgin cows 

 that arrive after the breeding rookeries have broken up will not 

 be served. 



Harem areas have been enlarged considerably in recent years, but 

 with the exception of North rookery on St. George Island there 

 was little expansion in 1932. The cows, however, were crowded 

 together more closely than formerly, a condition indicating tliat 

 next season sparsely populated harems will appear in the rear of the 

 rookeries. 



Sivutch rookery, on Sea Lion Rock, was not counted. As this 

 rookery has almost reached the limit of expansion, a very small 

 increase Avas added to the estimates for the previous year. There 

 was a considerable decrease in the number of harems on Ardiguen 

 rookery, St. Paul Island, for which no reason can be ascribed. 



A great many badly injured bulls Avere observed in the vicinity 

 of Morjovi rookery. The injuries were probably caused by niuner- 

 ous idle or surplus bulls from Vostochni hauling grounds that had 

 roamed to the Ancinity of ^lorjovi in search of harem positions. 

 The beach line of the entire Vostochni harem area is very tliickly 

 populated, and late-arriving bulls, not finding satisfactorA' positions 

 in the rear, might therefore make raids on the Morjovi harems. 

 This is not a connnon occurrence, hoAvever, as the idle and surplus 

 bulls do not ordinarily cause much trouble to the harem bulls. 



