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.iqunrium X umber 

 PREPARED BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE AQUARIUM 



ZOOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY BULLETIN 



Xiuiihfr JfJf 



Published hij the Xeic York Zoolog'ical Soeietij 



March. 1911 



THE FUR-SEAL. 



Illustrated with Cash-light photoj;! 



NEVER perhajis in the history of natural 

 science, conservation or international poli- 

 tics, has any one species of animal attract- 

 ed such persistent attention as has the Alaska 

 Fur-Seal. The gradual but rapid diminution in 

 the numbers of this extremely valuable fur-bear- 

 ing animal is a matter for the greatest regret. 



The United States Government has full con- 

 trol of the breeding grounds, and for many 

 years only supernumerary males have been killed 

 under government supervision for their fur. It 

 has been found impossible thus far, however, to 

 j)ut a stop to the slaughter of the females on 

 the high seas. The females, already pregnant, 

 leave their suckling voung on shore in the rook- 



eries and go long distances to sea in search of 

 food. They are then killed by the pelagic seal- 

 ers lying in wait for them, and the adult female 

 and a developing embryo are destroyed and the 

 young on shore left to starve. 



Only international agreement can prevent this 

 wasteful process, and the United States Bureau 

 of Fisheries, which has recently been given 

 charge of the seal herds, is doing everything 

 possible to prevent anj' waste on the breeding 

 grounds. The 13.000 3oung male seals, taken 

 by the government during the past season, were 

 selected from the suj)ernumerary males driven 

 out of the breeding grounds by the successful 

 males. The fact that the United States Govern- 



