SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 1^ 



CONCLUSIONS AS TO CONDITION OF ROOKERIES. 



At the time of my inspection in July, 1894, tlie seal rookeries of the 

 Pribilof Ishmds, taken as a whole, were found to be in nearly the same 

 condition as in 1803. While the number of seals has slowly been dimin- 

 ishing, the decrease having continued even during the i)eriod when 

 Bering Sea w.is closed to pelngic sealing, no decrease in general was 

 noticeable this year up to the date of my departure from the islands on 

 August 1. This is probably traceable to the cessation of sealing in the 

 North Pacific Ocean on May 1, 1894, or soon thereafter. During the 

 months of ]VI:iy and June the migrating seals become massed south of 

 the Alaska I'eniusula as they move toward the psisses through which 

 they enter Bering Sea, and a very considerable portion of the catch has 

 been taken annually in that region by the fleet of pelagic sealers. By- 

 reason of the cessation of i)elagic sealing on May 1 of the present year, 

 the seal herd was sjDared the excessive killing from which it has usually 

 suffered there in the past, and the rookeries, in consequence, presented 

 apjiroximately the same appearance as at the time of my last examina- 

 tion. This was contrary to previous experience, as an annual decrease 

 had always been observed during the several preceding years. 



Circumstances affecting seriously the welfare of the seal herd arose, 

 hoM^ever, before the close of the present season, necessitating a second 

 and later examination of the rookeries, which revealed an alarming 

 change in their condition. By the award of the Paris Tribunal of 

 Arbitration, Beiiug Sea, with the exception of a zone of 00 miles around 

 the I'ribilof Islands, was opened up to ])elagic sealers after August 1, 

 with tlie result of causing great destruction to the seal herd. The kill- 

 ing of over 31,000 seals belonging to these islands and consisting chiefly 

 of nursing females, was followed, necessarily, by the loss, through 

 starvation, of thousands of young seals upon the rookeries. 



LOSS OF YOUNG SEALS IN SEPTEMBER AS A RESULT OF PELAGIC 

 SEALING DURING AUGUST. 



After finishing the work of inspection upon the Pribilof Islands on 

 August 1, 1 cruised with the Albatross among the fleet of pelagic sealers 

 until September 9, when 1 landed again upon the islands to investigate 

 the loss of young seals, which was reported as becoming serious. 



Thirty-eight vessels known to us, hunting just outside of the prohibited 

 zone, took 31,542 seals during the months of August and Sei»tember, 

 these consisting for the most ])art of nursing females, which resulted in 

 the additional loss, by starvation, of the young seals thus left without 

 means of nourishment. Althougli sealing began on August 1, no dead 

 pups were noticed on the rookeries until about September 1, after which 

 time they were found in increasing numbers, and at the date of my 

 departure from the islands, September 13, careful examination had dis- 

 closed a loss of at least 9,0I>0 pup seals, with a prospective loss of nearly 

 as many more found in an emaciated and exhausted condition. With 

 the assistance of Mr. Miller, the resident agents of the Treasury, and 

 Mr. H. C. Chichester, I counted 2,349 pups upon the following rookeries: 



ST. GEORGE ISLAND. 



North rookery, September 9 and 10, Townseud and Miller (whole rookery) 405 



Starry Arteel, September 9, Townseud (whole rookery) 305 



East rookery, September 10, Townscnd and Agent Ziebach (hill slope only).. 130 



Little East, September 9, Miller (whole rookery) 140 



Total connted 980 



Zapadnie rookery and beach portion of East rookery not counted. 



