Before there was a world that depended on black gold, other fossil fuels, and other sorts of energy there was a different type of resource that was hunted and used by people to meet their needs for energy consumption. In this time period oil from whales was used to light the world from candle sticks to street lamps. From the 17th century to the 19th century it would be known as the era of whaling, many countries and peoples contributed to these whale hunts for all sorts of reasons. For civilizations that weren’t as developed as some other countries used whaling as a means for sustenance while the latter hunted whales primarily for their oil. Though the whole whale was utilized the bones were used in corsets, the baleen was used in umbrellas, …show more content…
They are also associated in religion like the account of Jonah in the bible and ancient cave paintings have been recorded of these creatures by the Basques in northern Europe. Though these creatures are breath taking and can make anyone feel small by their size they have been an important resource for early man as far back as pre-recorded history. Whaling didn’t just start in the 17th century; the practice has been around for thousands of years. There have been records of Koreans whaling around 5,000 BC and people from Norway have been utilizing whales for the past 4,000 years (Marrero). For as long as ancient man has been able to utilize whales as a resource there has been whaling in some kind of shape or form. For the most part ancient civilizations or natives in coastal regions would use whales mainly when they washed up ashore, which was known as drift whaling. During these ancient times whales were only utilized for their meat for the most part it would be a few hundred years later that whales would be hunted for something for more precious. But first before anyone could go out in boats and ships they had to learn techniques on whaling. It’s unknown what section of the word truly started whaling first but the Basques are credited for perfecting the common whaling techniques. They …show more content…
In the early commercial whaling days as stated before hunters would sail the oceans looking for new stocks of whales. When one was found small boats were sent out to finish the hunt. Once the hunters have approached the whale it would be stabbed by a harpoon which had a large iron bard on the top of a hard wooden shaft and on the end it would have a rope tied to it (NBWM). This was so hunters wouldn’t lose the whale and have it tire at the same time, once the behemoth was exhausted the whalers would catch up to the whale and repeatedly stab it with harpoons into the heart and lungs until it turned belly up indicating its death(NBWM). The lance was also used to deliver the killing strikes to a whale, it was used to repeatedly stab vital organs and since the lance didn’t have a bard it was easier to make repeated strikes into the flesh. This was normally the standard of how to pursue and kill a whale though other places around the world have different techniques. For instance in the Faroe Islands Piolet whales would be driven to shore buy boats and dropping of stones creating bubbles that confuse the small cetaceans thinking it’s a cliff wall that must be avoided. Those waiting on shore for the piolet whales will then use blowhole hooks that the people use to bring them to shore and give the killing
This has been a tradition of the Makah Indians for more than 2000 years. They had to stop in 1926 due to the scarcity of gray whales. But their abundance now makes it possible to resume their ancient practice of the hunt.
Image sitting on the beach one July morning. The sun is beaming down and decide to go for a swim. As you approach the water, you see a whale unusually close. You begin to get nervous as it continues to approach the shore. However, you aren’t worried because you know that they are confined to the sea. As the whale comes near you can see it clearly. Just as you think that it will turn around, the whale walks out of the ocean!
“… building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn’t be large enough for a six-ton male killer whale such as Tilikum, an animal capable of swimming 100 miles a day,” states an anonymous whale expert. Whales have been in captivity since 1861 when P.T. Barnum displayed the first live whale that was captured in Canada. However, Barnum had no idea how to care for the mammal and it died after only a week in captivity. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Being up close with killer whales could give us some clues about how they interact with each other, including physical behavior, their dialect, and how their pods work together as a family unit. However, what we are finding is that whales who belong in the wild are suffering in captivity. Killer whales have no record of ever harming a human being in the wild. In captivity, there have been many incidents of killer whales harming or even killing their trainers. What would cause them to do this in captivity, but not in the wild? They have been known to resort to aggression toward themselves and each other, in what scientist believe to be a stress induced behavior. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Evidence against having these wild animals in captivity is increasing and we need reevaluate the value of capturing and holding killer whales for our educational purposes, enjoyment, and profit.
Of the lessons of this course, the distinction made between story and situation will be the most important legacy in my writing. I learned a great travel essay cannot be merely its situation: its place, time, and action. It requires a story, the reader’s internal “journey of discovery.” While the importance of establishing home, of balancing summary and scene, and other lessons impacted my writing, this assertion at least in my estimation the core argument of the course.
The first whale to ever be captured was Moby Doll. The capture of Moby Doll was an accident; the purpose of getting this whale was so a sculptor named Samuel Burich could make a life size model for the British Columbia Hall Aquarium. Moby Doll was shot numerous times, but would not die. Since the whale would not die they decided to keep the whale and put it on display. There was little information on how to take care of the whale. Moby Doll did not eat for fifty-five days while being held captive. They were giving the whale the wrong food and when they finally figured it out the whale killed itself a month later. “Stories of Killer Captive Whales”.
Shirihai, H. and B. Jarrett (2006). Whales, Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals of the World. Princeton, Princeton University Press. p.185-188.
Captain Ahab was a fictional character that participated in whale hunting in a book called Moby Dick. Moby Dick was the name of the great white whale that Captain Ahab was pursing to hunt. “The Minke Whale also known as the baleen whale is the smallest of the rorqual species, and the females are normally larger than the males,” Sea Shepherd1, but due to commercial whaling they are facing extinction. Minke Whale Hunting is a problem in Antarctic Ocean which is also known as the Southern Ocean, They are being killed by the Japanese to be used for sushi. “The Japanese and other countries have been hunting whales since the 1800’s”, studies that were recorded in 1986 have shown that over 30,000 Minke whales have been killed.4 People should pay attention to this because an animal is being hunted and is near extinction. According to Sea Shepherd, “The taxonomy of Minke whales is currently in question, and soon there may be three species of Minke whales.”1 The Antarctic Sanctuary or the Southern Ocean Sanctuary was established in 1994 devoting 19 million square miles of waters is dedicated to the whales for feeding,” ABC News2 . Minke Whale Hunting is a global, national, regional, and local problem because the earth will have another animal that is extinct. By reducing the demand for sushi, by preventing the Japanese from hunting the whale, and enforcing the Antarctic Sanctuary Law, marine biologist and Oceanic Conservation can protect the Minke Whales before they are extinct.
...ats of the whale are still used in some of today’s industries. These parts of the whale have numerous applications in biotechnology. Some of which include, but are not limited to; candles, oil lamps, soaps, and lubricants. Even though their oils have significance in certain applications, the sperm whale is considered an endangered species. This is primarily because of being over hunted. They also have been known to get caught in fishing nets, subject to pollution, also can be severely affected by ocean debris.
...ould estimate where they spent most of their time. By the length of the other skeletal bones, the size and shape of the animals could be determined, which also shared insight to its behavior. The largest primitive whales could indeed walk on land, but only did so for short periods because their legs could not take so much weight for long amounts of time. These behaviors allow scientists and paleontologists to understand even more as to how these fascinating and mysterious animals went from ruling on land to taking over the sea.
After watching several documentaries on how poorly killer whales are treated in captivity, it drew me into researching more information on the treatment of Killer whales that are kept in captivity. I found several scientific journals, and articles on wild life facts of killer whales and I found published books on the treatment of killer whales in captivity. The information I found includes both wild killer whales and killer whales kept in captivity. With the information I found, I plan to prove the shortened lifespan and health problems killer whales get while living in captivity are not normal. In fact the information you learned about killer whales from aquariums and commercial parks are false. This paper will argue why killer whales should not be held captive in commercial parks. This Paper will include information on the killer whale’s diet, the killer whale’s communication, and the killer whale’s physical traits.
Before affiliating the crew aboard the ship with Moby Dick, there are some comparisons to be made between them and ocean inhabitants in general. While living in the ocean environment the men begin to acquire the same survival techniques as some of the organisms in the ocean. The manner in which the whalers go about slaughtering the whales is much like the way that the sharks react to the whale carcass being held stagnate in the water. "....because such incalculable hosts of sharks gather round the moored carcass, that were he left so for six hours, say, on a stretch, little more that the skeleton would be visible by mornong"(Melville 328). These sharks are savages in the face of sustenance. In most cases the sheer size of the whale prohibits it from being captured and consumed by the sharks. The only chance that they have at these huge beasts is when they are slung along side the whaling ships. Once they have their opening to this plethora of meat it becomes a barbaric feeding frenzy. These actions of the sharks reflect the actions of the whalers when taking part in the slaying of a whale. "Soon ranging up by his flank, Stubb, firmly planting his knee in the clumsy cleat, darted dart after dart into the flying gish.
Whaling has been a practice that has been around for thousands of years. Whaling has cultural significance for several cultures in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and there is evidence of whaling since 3000 BCE (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016).
The quest to gain international agreement on ethical and legal norms for regulation of whaling has had a long and troubled history. The modern phase of global concern over whaling ethics and conservationist management originated in 1946, when the International Convention on Regulation of Whaling was signed. Thus, the International Whaling Commission was created. The International Whaling Commission was designed to control and mandate the whaling industry. From it’s beginning as simply a whalers club with scientific guidance, to the current day conservationist body, the IWC has undergone many revisions and transformations since the start.
Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually the largest type of dolphin. They have long black bodies with distinct white patches near their eyes. A killer whale can be up to 32 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Females are a bit smaller, but live longer (Gorman). The name “killer whale” apparently came not because it is a vicious whale, but because it preys on whales. They do not have any natural predators, and they are considered the “top dog” of the ocean. Not even the great white shark stands a chance against these superb killers. “Unlike sharks, killer whales are cautious hunters, sometimes spending hours harassing a 1,000-pound sea lion so it can easily be drowned” (Francis). Orcas use many hunting tactics that are unique to their species, which is what makes them invincible.
For almost 400 years, whales have been chased to near extinction. Vessels have travelled the globe to find and extract precious oil and gather whale meat to eat. This has resulted in over 10,000 whales being executed since the moratorium in 1986. A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law and in this case a suspension of whaling. Also a ...