98 



On Amchitka Island in the Bering Sea where the sea otter popula- 

 tion revived following a ban on their slaughter — and where they may 

 again be decimated if the October atomic test takes place — our Federal 

 Government is again conducting what they call "an experimental 

 harvest" using the same worn excuse that it is for the benefit of the 

 otters. 



Are these biologists so simple they are unaware that when an 

 animal population 'becomes too large in one area, a process of migra- 

 tion begins — and that the migration of these otters to other areas is 

 desirable? 



Frankly, such simplicity is doubted. It is evident once again that 

 our Government cannot resist the dollars that this friendly animal's 

 pelt brings. Nor can the Federal biologists resist the opportunity — 

 given by the same dollars — to "experiment*' with killing these animals 

 for the sake of making perfectly spurious tables of birth and death 

 rates. 



Most people are aware of nature's generosity — that she increases 

 the birth rate when there are too few of a species, and that she also 

 decreases the rate when there are sufficient for her purposes. 



The magnificent whale, for example, which has no natural enemies — 

 man being an unnatural enemy — has a built-in birth-control system 

 which is pure perfection — except for this speeies' inability to survive 

 in the face of man's greed. 



Unless drastic and immediate action is taken, several of the larger 

 species of whales will soon be reduced in numbers to a point at which 

 their extinction will become less inevitable. Eventually, if the pres- 

 ent whale hunting trend continues, most other whales, including the 

 porpoises and the dolphins, may also disappear. 



This impending tragedy can and must be prevented. Whales are 

 among the most intelligent and highly evolved of all the world's crea- 

 tures, in some respects very much like their fellow- human mammals. 



Many of these warm-blooded, air-breathing mammals are monoga- 

 mous; they nurse their young and usually bear a calf every 2 years. 

 They "cry" in agony when they are wounded by a harpoon; and the 

 "song" that the humpback whales sing is so beautiful and intrica,te that 

 it has inspired a symphony and been made into a j^wpular record 

 album. 



There have been many incidents in which a whale has been har- 

 pooned or captured by a boat, and its family has followed it or waited 

 offshore for its return for days and weeks at a tinie. Whalers have 

 taken advantage of this protective and highly social characteristic 

 by harpooning baby whales, towing them into the whaling station on 

 shore, and then butchering the entire family or even the herd which 

 faithfully follows along. 



According to history and legend, man's relationship with whales 

 has, until comparatively recent times, been a quite friendly one. The 

 prophet Jeremiah made reference to these "monsters of the sea" and 

 the whale, which the Bible tells us swallowed Jonah, not only did him 

 no harm, but also saved him from drowning. 



Paintings and woodprints from early seafaring peoples show ancient 

 sailing ships followed and surromided by playful, friendly whales. 

 Countless sea legends abound in which dolphins are credited with sav- 

 ing the lives of drowning people. 



