A Job I Wouldn't Want

One of the things I love about my job is the research I get to do.  Yesterday, I was studying the history of one of the caribou herds that travel through Katmai National Park and found a report written in 1958 that I thought I would share with you.  It does not have to do with caribou but with beluga whales.  I hope you enjoy the story.

In 1958 a group of men decided that they would like to capture some beluga whales in the area and send them to California where a newly created sea park was opening, kind of like the sea worlds of today.  They put their heads together and came up with three different ways to capture the whales that they thought might work.  The first being using a harpoon and shooting the whale just deep enough to capture it but not kill it.  The second way was to use a salmon net and wrap the whale like a burrito in the net then haul it aboard.  The last way was to climb upon the whales back and place a collar over its neck.  Which way do you think they chose?

Why the third way of course.  They thought it was the least obtrusive way to capture the whales.  So they took a skiff and went out to get their whales.  They pulled the skiff next to the whale, a man jumped out of the boat onto the creatures back then maneuvered a collar onto it so that they could pull the whale to shallow waters.  Now this all happened in Bristol Bay which is known for its icy cold waters.  The report did not have a date so I don't know what time of year this occurred but I am sure it wasn't January as the bay is frozen right now.  Nor does the report say how many attempts it took to actually get on the whales back.  This is not a job I would like to try and tackle.

How did they do you might ask?  Well the first time out they captured two whales.  The poor whales did not last long and died before ever making it to California.  They tried again and this time captured two adults and one calf.  In the notes of the report were instructions for keeping the whales alive during transport.  They need lots of soft mattresses for the journey and you need to apply water to their skin regularly.  The two adults whales were sent to California and survived.  They were trained to entertain the public and that part of the task was considered a success.  The calf was sent to New York where it died shortly after arrival.

Now you know the story of how they first captured beluga whales in Bristol Bay.  I wonder what the natives thought of that job when they saw men trying to jump the backs of whales.