184 WHALES 



seafarers, who will tell you the story of 'Pelorus Jack', a Pilot Whale (or 

 possibly a Risso's Dolphin) which accompanied ships plying between 

 Wellington and Nelson in New Zealand almost every day for thirty-two 

 years. The animal became so much of a national institution that during 

 1904-14 it was protected by special legislation, infringements carrying a 

 fine of up to ;i(^ioo. 



Similar stories are also told about bigger whales, and particularly about 

 Humpbacks, which like to come right up to ships and to swim around and 

 under them in order to investigate them at close quarters. Blue and Fin 

 Whales behave similarly, and especially their young. Whalers have noted 

 that Blue ^Vhales become a little more suspicious before the onset of 

 puberty. It is said that the present size limit for Blue Whales (which are 

 sexually mature at 74-77 feet) was fixed at 70 feet since this limit is easily 

 determined from the animal's behaviour. But adult whales, too, are by 

 no means shy, though old animals may have learned from experience to 

 be wary of man. This may be the reason why the largest proportion of the 

 catch consists of animals which are about to reach or have just reached 

 sexual maturity (see Chapter 14). Sperm Whales, too, are not afraid of 

 man, and have therefore been successfully hunted with even the most 

 primitive equipment. Thus Lt F. A. J. de Boer, third oflScer aboard the 

 Piet Hein, relates that, on 7th June, 1955, he spotted a Sperm Whale 

 swimming very slowly. When a number of blank depth charges were 

 detonated, the animal did not swim any faster but simply changed 

 course, a clear sign that it had noticed the explosions. 



Another reason why dolphins are so particularly tractable may well be 

 connected with their being carnivorous. All carnivores have a far wider 

 range of behaviour patterns than herbivorous animals, for they must stalk 

 and capture their prey, while herbivores have merely to go up to their 

 food. In other words, carnivorous animals have to solve many more 

 problems and tackle all sorts of situations in all sorts of special ways, while 

 herbivorous animals find the table already laid for them, or else go hungry. 

 Hence, by and large, carnivores prove the most versatile circus performers, 

 with a far bigger repertoire of tricks than even horses or elephants. More- 

 over, carnivores become very attached to their keepers and can be trained 

 and bribed with food. This is particularly true offish eaters, which gener- 

 ally devour vast quantities of food and which can be fed at frequent 

 intervals. The dolphins and Pilot Whales at Marineland, for instance, not 

 only know exactly when it is feeding time, but they also learn to come up 

 to eat out of their keeper's hand during the intervals (Figs. 98 and loi). 

 An old female Bottlenose Whale learned to do so within a week, and also 

 to respond to a dinner bell. W. H. Dudok van Heel's porpoises also learnt 

 to eat from his hand very quickly. 



