MARKING WHALES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 96, 4 February 1936, Page 8

MARKING WHALES

SURVEY SHIP’S WORK. THE WILLIAM SCORESBY. The William Scoresby, AA’haling research ship registered at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, arrived at- Cape Town from London on October 22 after a passage of 30 days. Five days before arriving in Table Bay the vessel ran into a south-east gale, which delayed all big cargo liners on their Avay south, and Avas compelled to reduce speed on account of the steep says, says the “Cape Times.” Mr G. W. Rayner, the chief scientist on board, said that a continuation of last year’s work in studying the migration of Avhales and their lifehistory would be carried on for the next three months in southern Avaters, mainly in the vicinity of the factory ships. Captain C. R. Booth by is in command and has a creAv under him of 23 young men. Both Captain Boothby and Mr G. W. Rayner Avere in the vessel during her last commission. The William Scoresby is to take provisions and fuel-oil. The William Scoresby Avill continue her iiiA'estigations during the coming AA’lialing season in ascertaining whether there is a real danger of AA-hales being exterminated if the present rate of intensive killing continues.

Tagging Whales. / The problem of the migration of the several species of Avhales and their life-history Avill he dealt Avith, and "marking” Avhales will he carried out Avhenever possible. Last year the scientists on board wore responsible for the “tagging” of 700 Avhales, which constitutes a record. For this purpose a specially designed gun is fitted in the boAvs. This fires an aluminium dart, ten inches in length, Avhich penetrates the blubber to a sufficient depth to remain there Avithout causing the whale any inconvenience. In earlier years a smaller dart Avas in use Avhich Avas believed to have proved ineffective, in that it rusted or was released within a feAv months. Each dart has a number engraved upon it, and this and the exact position in Avhich it Avas fired are logged for future reference. It is knoAvn that some Avhales migrate over long distances, and conclusive proof has been obtained of the extent of some of the migrations by the 23 darts that Avere recovered by factory ships and shore stations, far from the place in which the marking occurred. A reward is offered by the Colonial Office, London, to anyone forAvarding a dart found and giving full particulars. Far Travels. During the nine years since the launching of the William Scoresby, the vessel has travelled an immense distance in southern Avaters, and a vast amount of A’nluable data has been secured, both in connection Avith the Avhaling industry and also in surveying the numerous islands controlled by the Falkland Island Dependencies. She has given assistance to seA r eral exploring expeditions to the Polar Continent, south of Cape Horn, and her scientists on one. occasion spent several Aveeks in investigating the Humboldt current on the Avcst coast of South America. The William Scoresby is considerably smaller than the Discovery 11., Avhich is also oAvned by tbc Falkland Islands Government, for she is only 324 tons gross, Avith a length of 128 feet. Some of the bigger Avhale-catchers have a greater length, but the William Scoresby is specially strengthened for ice and can venture into waters Avhich would endanger the whalers’ comparatively thin steel plating. She is an oil burner, with, a big radius of action, but has to .refuel every three Aveeks, so that AA’hen carrying out a survey of ocean life: in the waters off Enderby Land and Queen Marv 'Land, as she did on her last trip, the vessel is dependent on the whale oil factory ships for supplies of bunker fuel. During the coming season there Avill bo about 20 factory ships and 150 catchers operating. The total Nonvegian production of Avhale oil for the season is to be limited to 1,100,000 barrels, and it is estimated that 1,200,000 barrels of oil will be produced by expeditions under foreign flags.