WHALE AS PUBLIC PET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21529, 29 December 1931, Page 3

WHALE AS PUBLIC PET

“WENDY” VISITS CAPETOWN GAMBOLS WITH OFFSPRING. Capetown has been treated to an interesting natural history lesson by the visit to its shores of a right whale, which on commencing its week’s sojourn in local waters was popularly christened “Wendy” (says the Capetown correspondent of the Herald). When “ Wendy ” first appeared, like a huge black submarine, puffing and blowing alongside the training ship General Botha, the cadets named the visitor “ Barnacle Bill.” The snout was encrusted with barnacles. Very quickly, however, old whalermen came to the conclusion that the visitor was a female of the species, and their view was confirmed by the whale calf which was seen sw'imming beside “ Wendy,” and which it is believed was born after the mother entered Simons Bay.

“Wendy” is the boldest whale that ever blew. Ancient fishermen declare that never before have they seen a whale loafing and gambolling and sunning herself so close inshore. She actually allowed boats to approach quite close to her, and Dr E. L. Gill, of the South African Museum, took advantage of the opportunity to make some interesting observations.

SWIMMING ROUND THE HARBOUR

During the last week-end “Wendy” and her newly-born calf entertained hundreds of people at the holiday resorts on the False Bay coast, approaching quite close to the fishing pier and visiting the bathers at Muizenberg. They spent Sunday swimming round the harbour, visiting all the ships at anchor. In Dr Gill’s opinion, the pleasantest feature of the visit of “Wendy” was the readiness with which she was adopted as a public pet. “ Which of man’s two reactions toward animals will come to the top,” he says, “is often a matter of touch and go. If, instead of being christened ‘ Wendy,’ this whale had been successfully hunted and hauled ashore, the scene would have aroused pretty general enthusiasm. But it is becoming almost a sign of the times that people are discovering the pleasure that is to be had out of watching the doings of a living animal, instead of trying to compass its death, and once the scales have tipped in that direction the public’s general kindliness is soon warmly enlisted. ‘ Huberts ’ the hippopotamus was adopted by South Africa, and then by the world. “A LITTLE SOUTH AFRICAN.” “ ‘ Wendy ’ was not before the public long enough to earn more than a local popularity, but her action in desiring that her calf should come into the world as a little South African has met with the recognition it deserved, and may have paved the way for a pleasanter reception for her sisters when they follow her example in the future.” Dr Gill studied the whale at close quarters. Spending a quiet hour or two in the company of a 60ft whale is not a thing one can do every day, he said. He did not see the calf, but the mother’s movements were so gentle all the time that it was likely enough, he said, that she was piloting her baby. Right whales are noted for their devotion to their offspring. “Anyhow,” Dr Gill added. “ if all the mother whales of the southern hemisphere could be given the same chance as ‘ Wendy,’ there would be some hope for the whaling industry. Any kind of animal or bird, even slow-breeding things like the whales, can stand an astonishing amount of hunting on one condition, that they are allowed to breed in peace and rear their young.”