Southern Sealing Grounds Visited

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1948, Page 3

Southern Sealing Grounds Visited

DUNEDIN, July 23. •'’One of the richest areas in the world for the study of various forms of marine life,” is how Dr. R. a. Falla, director of the Dominion Museum, to-day described the Foveaux Strait region after a threeweeks visit.

Although the sperm whales that once made the strait famous are not much in evidence, fur seals are showing satisfactory powers of survival, in spite of the history of destructive sealing. Oceanic birds of many kinds are abundant and fish life, Dr Falla said, both of commercial and other species, would repay a sympathetic study. Dr. Falla’s visit to Stewart Island the Solanders and outlying islets was specifically to investigate the fur seal population, the size of wh’ch has caused some concern after the hasty and ill-planned season of 1946 This viist, he explained, was a sequel to the survey undertaken last summer when he visited rookeries during the breeding season. A general picture of the breeding stock had been obtained then, but no overall survey could be made because of the absence of voung non-breeding animals, and it was impossible to estimate the probable rate of survival of the young seals. Because the survey was made on behalf of the Marine Department, Dr. Falla nrferred not. to speak at present on his conclusion on the changin'-- size of the fur seal population or the prospects of the fur sealing industry and the resumption of open sea cr "'’ q