Century-old weapon fragment found in whale

[jesspy]

Century-old weapon fragment found in whale

A 45-tonne bowhead whale caught off the Alaskan coast last month had a weapon fragment embedded in its neck that showed it survived a similar hunt - more than a century ago.

Embedded deep under its blubber was a 13-centimetre arrow-shaped projectile that has given researchers insight into the whale's age, estimated between 115 and 130 years old.

"No other finding has been this precise," said John Bockstoce, an adjunct curator of the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts.

Calculating a whale's age can be difficult, and is usually gauged by amino acids in the eye lenses. It is rare to find one that has lived more than a century, but experts say the oldest were close to 200 years old.

link

[SeaMare]

Am I the only one to find this utterly tragic?

A magnificent creature that has graced our oceans for over a hundred hears, has needed decades to reach such a majestic size, butchered & destroyed by man within hours. (unfortunately it takes some time to kill a whale; it's a slow, painful death...)

[Schnaffler]

Am I the only one to find this utterly tragic?

A magnificent creature that has graced our oceans for over a hundred hears, has needed decades to reach such a majestic size, butchered & destroyed by man within hours. (unfortunately it takes some time to kill a whale; it's a slow, painful death...)

Yup!

Scientist and hunters "Wow! This whale is amazing. It's been alive for so long and is so interesting - kill it!"

[The Silver Thong]

The whaling industry as whole is truely disgusting. Why there is not an all out ban by every nation on this planet boogels my mind. Truely shows man's disregard for this planet and the life it harbours.

[Pandora7321]

I amazed and saddened by this so much. I had no idea whales could live so long. I knew turtles and alligators could live to be incredibly old, but I've never even heard it mentioned that whales could have such a long life span. We'll never know how much longer it could gone?

[SilverCougar]

Am I the only one to find this utterly tragic?

A magnificent creature that has graced our oceans for over a hundred hears, has needed decades to reach such a majestic size, butchered & destroyed by man within hours. (unfortunately it takes some time to kill a whale; it's a slow, painful death...)

You are not the only one.

To be attacted and survive for a century afterwards.. only to be slaughtered... *shakes her head*

[Lt_Ripley]

I amazed and saddened by this so much. I had no idea whales could live so long. I knew turtles and alligators could live to be incredibly old, but I've never even heard it mentioned that whales could have such a long life span. We'll never know how much longer it could gone?

ditto

[group67]

whaling is indeed very sad and i just dont hope that they dont kill off one of the most rarest whales migaloo a all white one.

take a look

hang on ill try to upload the picture.

[group67]

migaloo is the worlds only albino humpback whale

and its my favourite sea animal if not creature;

take a look at http://www.smh.com.au/news/Environment/Sto...3854200051.html

[group67]

sorry ive never uploaded a picture before.

[jesspy]

Yup!

Scientist and hunters "Wow! This whale is amazing. It's been alive for so long and is so interesting - kill it!"

I dont think they knew it was old as in i dont think they knew the harpoon was there. Nevertheless it is a tragedy poor whale.

Save the whales harpoon politicians i say

[group67]

Save the whales harpoon politicians i say

thats funny ive got a friend that always say's;

save tree eat beaver.

and i think by the time every country does stop whaling(hopoefully soon) it will be to late and there wont be enough left.

[FootBeef]

Am I the only one to find this utterly tragic?

A magnificent creature that has graced our oceans for over a hundred hears, has needed decades to reach such a majestic size, butchered & destroyed by man within hours. (unfortunately it takes some time to kill a whale; it's a slow, painful death...)

c'est la vie

[sbradj]

The whaling industry as whole is truely disgusting. Why there is not an all out ban by every nation on this planet boogels my mind. Truely shows man's disregard for this planet and the life it harbours.

exactly, why would they allow this to contuine . our oceans arent alive as they once was with whales, fish etc..man is self-centered only lives for today not tomorrow or the day after..when its gone its gone.

[Legatus Legionis]

could we eat the freaking money?! what if money is the only thing we have.? can we eat it? no right!! money is useless! but the world's status is now where it could never survive without money. how can we remove money and get back to the time when trading one thing for another thing is ok?

[Shalott]

Am I the only one to find this utterly tragic?

A magnificent creature that has graced our oceans for over a hundred hears, has needed decades to reach such a majestic size, butchered & destroyed by man within hours. (unfortunately it takes some time to kill a whale; it's a slow, painful death...)

My thoughts exactly whilst reading that article. There is so much we can learn about nature through observation, if not for the douchebags rushing in and killing everything in sight for a profit.

[DemonWatcher]

think of it this way...

would you tell a farmer he could not harvest his crop because he is causing said plant pain, hell no (pardon my langauge).

Would you buy the tofu if you knew a living being, was destroyed to produce it, no you wouldn't. And you know it.

Some times we do things that others find "wrong" remember some have been doing things of this nature for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Now what about the baby seals? HMMMMM....

[louie]

could we eat the freaking money?! what if money is the only thing we have.? can we eat it? no right!! money is useless! but the world's status is now where it could never survive without money. how can we remove money and get back to the time when trading one thing for another thing is ok?

Very good post.

[BrucePrime]

While the angry of many of you at the whaling industry is well-placed, this kill was not part of the "whaling industry." Aboriginal Alaskans, in 10 certain villages, are allowed a quota of whales every year. These whales are the primary source of food for these villages, and the whales are hunted in the traditional ways.

[SilverCougar]

I'm not upset at the Aluits did. Yes, it's part of their normal diet (though anyone can eat whale ew ew) and part of their alotted kills...

It's just kind of upsetting to see that little over a hundred years ago that creature was harpooned and lived.. then was killed now.

[greggK]

HE GOT AWAY DIDNT HE! Somebody lost their DINNER!!!!!!!!!!

[m. Moe]

could we eat the freaking money?! what if money is the only thing we have.? can we eat it? no right!! money is useless! but the world's status is now where it could never survive without money. how can we remove money and get back to the time when trading one thing for another thing is ok?

Money is actually a very effective way of exchanging goods and services, and usually the only people who say it is pointless are the ones without. Going back to the way as it was without money would mean longer hours and harder work. Money is not the problem, just some of the ways it is gained is.

I don't see a need for whaling. There is very little demand for whale oil and meat, so it must not even be that succesful of an industry. Just pointless killing.

[SilverCougar]

We don't know that. Who ever tried the last time might have caught another.

THIS time, no one lost their dinner..

[MissMelsWell]

I dunno, the Makah tribe here in Washington does a whale hunt every few years. They're pretty bad at it actually because they've lost the skill set. They do it traditionally, with canoes and handcrafted harpoons. I think in the last 10 years, they've only manged to get one. (I wouldn't swear on that though) I hear they're geting ready to do another hunt, or it's in court or something.

Traditionally speaking, the Makah hunted whale just like the Aleut's... I actually don't have much of a problem with it as long as it isn't being made into an industry. In the case of the Alaska Indians and the Makah, it's not. It's either part of their diet, or it's to preserve what little of their culture and history they have left.

I actually had some Aleut crafted whale bone masks that my ex husband purchased in Adak Alaska (way out at the end of the Aleutian chain) and a piece of etched baleen. He bought them from a native woman in a little kicker boat that came out to sell to the guys on the tug boat he was working on. If they were making an industry out of their whale hunts, things like the masks and etched baleen would be on store shelves but it's not because it's not an industry. But the indians do use every last bit of that animal right down to baleen and bone for art.

Edited June 19, 2007 by MissMelsWell

[Legatus Legionis]

Money is actually a very effective way of exchanging goods and services, and usually the only people who say it is pointless are the ones without. Going back to the way as it was without money would mean longer hours and harder work. Money is not the problem, just some of the ways it is gained is.

I don't see a need for whaling. There is very little demand for whale oil and meat, so it must not even be that succesful of an industry. Just pointless killing.

yeah. but humans take everything for granted. without ever think of the future. and we have a high life status here for your information.