Hi June,
This is from the June 27th, 1897 issue of “The Call.” While I’ve never previously heard of the pup-killing behavior being displayed by some of the bulls, as described by the author of this article, it reminds me of a documentary about elephants I once saw. Because of ivory poachers all the large bull elephants had been killed in the area the documentary was about. Young male elephants were engaging in gang “wilding” assaults, attacking and injuring or killing other elephants and endangered rhinos. The problem was solved by importing adult bull elephants, who quickly settled things down. I wonder if the hidehunters he mentions concentrated on the largest bulls too? I wonder what Bernie LeBoeuf, the Ano Nuevo Marine Mammal expert, would say about this article? Amphibians? Enjoy. John
THE SEAL ROOKERIES OFF THE COAST OF SAN MATEO COUNTY
The seals of Ano Nuevo Island are prac –
tically unknown to both scientists and the
public, notwithstanding the fact that the
herds there are the largest on the Pacific
Coast and the habits of the species are
the most distinctive.
In many ways their habits are somewhat
similar to those of sea birds. Once a year
the rocks, or rookeries, are covered with
seals. Young are born and raised there,
and then a general migration takes place
of all but the old females. For months
the rookeries are comparatively deserted.
The seals come and go at regular intervals.
If you will look at a map of California,
and closely examine the southwestern
portion of the coast of San Mateo County,
you will find Ano Nuevo Island. Although
only about thirty-five miles from San
Francisco, in a direct line, it is a most
difficult place to get at. If everything
goes well it can be reached in about twelve
hours, but should there be a detention of
any kind the journey may consume two
days. The nearest town is Pescadeio,
fourteen miles to the north.
Ano Nuevo Island is cut off from the
mainland by a channel about a mile wide,
and the only way to cross is in the boat of
the keepers of the Government fog signal.
The seal rocks are scattered to the north –
ward of the island, the closest being only
about 500 feet away.
It was for the purpose of ascertaining
something about the habits of these seals
and obtaining pictures of them that a
Call representative visited Ano Nuevo
Island last week, just in the height of the
breeding season. Keeper Butwell of the
fog signal, whose opportunities for study –
ing seals have undoubtedly been most
favorable, gladly furnished all informa –
tion and acted as guide to the seal rocks.
Some of the facts that be has gathered in
regard to the habits of seals and the
causes of their extermination are surpris –
ing and valuable. He has watched the
herds constantly at all seasons for a
period of eight years, and the location of
the rocks, lying as they do so close to the
island, makes the seals’ actions as easily
observable as if they were on the stage of
a theater.
“Years ago,” said Mr. Butwell, “there
used to be tens of thousands of seals on
these rocks, and the killing of them was a
profitable industry. The hides were used
lor belting and sold for a good price.
”In those days the rocks were leased to
hunters, and the killing went on at a
rapid rate. Of course the seals rapidly
diminished in numbers, as males, females
and pups were killed indiscriminately.
When I came bere eight years ago all this
had stopped. No hunters were allowed on
the rocks, and it would seem as if the
herds should have again multiplied; but
they didn’t. For four years they kept get –
ting fewer, until there were hardly 500
left.
“About this time I began to study the
cause of the decrease. From this point
here on the island I can look across to the
rocks, and by taking a glass can bring
the seals up very close. I had previously
noticed that some of the bulls had a habit
of killing the young, but had no idea the
evil was so general as I found it to be on
investigation. One morning I saw a cer –
tain bull climb on the rocks and kill
about half a dozen pups. Others did the
same, so it was soon apparent to me that
the bulls were largely responsible for the
decrease of the herds.
“After becoming convinced that a num –
ber of vicious bulls did all the mischief, I
began a systematic killing of them. I
used to go over on the rocks and lie in
wait. Whenever I caught an old fellow
in the act of killing a pup I put a bullet
through his head. The first season I
killed about fifty and saved many hun –
dred pups, so that the second year the
herds began to increase and this year are
larger than they have been since I com –
menced my extermination of the vicious
bulls.
The habits of these seals are most
peculiar and mysterious. After the pups
are born on the rocks the cows spend two
or three months teaching them to swim,
and then when the time comes take them
to sea somewhere and leave them. The
young seals do not return to the place of
their birth until they are two years old,
but where they spend the interval is a
mystery. So you see it took two years to
tell whether the killing of the vicious bulls
did any good or not. But l am sat –
isfied that it did. At any rate the seals
are increasing at a fair rate, and in a lew
years, with proper nursing, I think they
will be as numerous as ever.
“But really when we look at it in the
right way there is no reason why the seals
should be preserved. It is purely a mat –
ter of sentiment. One full-grown seal will
destroy enough fish in a week to feed a
good-sized town for a month, and the
damage done by the herd is beyond con –
ception. Seals are really the coyotes of
the sea, and if we look after our own in –
terests we wou!d be making efforts to de –
stroy them instead of preserving them.
However, it is not likely they will be de –
stroyed, as they have ceased to be worth
anything comercially.
“The largest bull on the rocks would not
yield enough hide, whiskers, etc., to sell
for $1.50. When seal hides were used tor
belting they were worth about $5 each,
but since rubber has been used for this
purpose they are no longer wanted. Seal
hide is only used now for making buffing
wheels, and of course the demand is very
light. Really the seals are not worth kill –
ing should one be so inclined, and any at –
tempt to do so as a matter of business
would surely result in loss.”
Every statement made by Mr. Butwell
was borne out by observation. Standing
on the northern edge of Ano Nuevo
Island the seals’ methods of destroying
fish could be readily seen. The tide
sweeps rather swiftly through the chan –
nel between the two points, and naturally
a school of fish would be carried along
with it. The rookeries will be thickly
covered with seals, but the instant a cer –
tain foamy streak appeared on the surface
of the water there will be an almost in –
stantaneous plunge into the sea. Then
the slaughter commences.
The surface of the water is churned into
foam and the frightened fish dart in all
directions only to run into more seals.
The amphibians bump into one another,
roar and plunge after their prey. All is
tumult, commotion and death to the fish.
For a few minutes the seals undoubtedly
satisfy their appetites by eating all the
fish they catch, but after that they simply
kill for fun. When a seal is hungry he
will swallow a fish whole and be chasing
another while his victim is still in his
throat. But when his hunger grows less
ravenous he simply bites out the back and
throws the rest away. When he has had
all he wants the sea! playfully rolls over
the surface of the waves, catches a fish
and gives it a crunch. Of course death is
instantaneous and the body of the fish is
allowed to drop into the sea. Providing
the air bladders of the fish have not been
broken the body will float, and often the
surface of the water will be literally cov –
ered with large saimon, sea bass and
trout—enough to feed a town. Ot course
many more fish sink from sight, so that
the destruction is simply appalling.
The fact that the bulls kill the young
seals would appear to be simply another
demonstration of a certain admitted fact
of natural history. How such things
come about is of course a mystery, but
there are numerous instances ot the same
kind. It would seem as if nature had con –
cluded that it was time for a certain
species to become extinct and took this
means of accomplishing her end. That
she would always succeed goes without
saving—except where civilization ateps in
and puts a slop to it.
The most common demonstration of
this is the case of the ordinary barnyard
fowl. It is a well-known fact that where
there are as many cocks as hens chicks
cannot be raised. The cocks kill them,
and if they were unmolested the species
would soon become extinct. But civiliza –
tion steps in and destroys certain of the
cocks. Ad a consequence we have all the
chickens we want.
Regardless of the destructive propensi –
ties of the seals and a number of bis objec –
tionable traits, he is the most picturesque
creature that lives in the sea, and, it
might be added, the most picturesque that
lives on land. Like every other living
creature, the seal has good traits as well
as bad traits, and is most interesting to
watch. While it is a most difficult matter
to reach the seal rookeries, the experience
is well worth the trip. It is replete with
incident, although not what would be
called dangerous.
At low tide it is possible to walk from
Ano Nuevo Island to the seal rocks. But
not “with a dry foot,” as the sailors are
wont to say.
Just at present the rookeries are in their
glory. The pups have all been born and
some of them are over a month old. At
the time of The Call representative’s
visit to the rocks Mr. Butwell had just
mads up his mind to dispose of a few
vicious bulls he bad seen killing ‘the
young, and he led the way from the island
to the rookeries.
Climbing down the northern cliff of the
island the way lay over moss-covered
rocks laid bare by the low tide. Walking
is difficult work, as the rocks, beautiful as
it looks, affords a poor foothold. In fact
it affords no foothold at all, and it is only
by the greatest care that slipping is pre –
vented. Between the rocks are pools of
clear water, several inches deep, that
must be waded through and care exercised
to prevent being tangled in the long, slimy
tendrils of seaweed. . Just before
the seal rock is reached sea there is a channel
about two feet deep and
twenty feet wide that must be waded.
The seals show little signs of fear, a few have
plunged from the cliff, but others look at the
intruders with curiosity a few moments and then
seem to forget.
Seen from across the narrow channel, the herd of
seals lining the edge of the cliffs was as grand
a sight as the world affords. There were thousands
and thousands of the enormous creatures, packed
in together like a flock of birds.
In fact, the general effect of the herd was
that of penguins. All the seals roar vio –
lently, so that it is impossible to hear the
human voice. What monsters they are,
and what power they possess of which
they are unconscious.
Just before wading the channel Mr.
Butwell, discharged his rifle. It was the
first time the seals had heard the sound
this year, and in an instant there was
consternation. Hundreds of tons of flesh
dropped into the sea in a moment, and
the waves rose to the top of the cliff, while
the spray dashed high into the air. It
was several moments before the water
became quiet again, and then the herd
was seen swimming in a bunch, undecided
what to do, and roaring with all their
might. Although the sea was fairly black
with seals, hundreds remained on the top
of the cliffs. These were the old cows,
who in some way seemed to realize that
they were in no danger.
On the opposite side of the channel,
which was waded with difficulty and at
the expense of getting wet to the waist,
there was a large number of pups floun –
dering helplessly over the moss-covered
rocks. Nurnbers of them were half-hidden
in tiny caves at the base of the cliff, but
came out intending to make friends.
They did not show the slightest fear, but
on the contrary seemed to want to be
petted. Ttiey allowed themselves to be
patted on their backs, and in other ways
showed pleasure at receiving attention.
A young seal is one of the most pathet –
ic-looking creatures that live. Its ex –
pression is much like that of a lamb, and
it will look at you out of its large gray
eyes as if it really has feeling. The little
fellows will follow one around the rock
uttering bleats like a goat. In color these
pups are a light gray, with black on the
ends of the flippers.
The seals of Ano Nuevo Island, while
belonging to the same genus as those on
the Farallones and at the Cliff, are a dis –
tinct species. They are very light in
color. Some of the cows are the color of
manilla wrapping-paper and the darkest
of the bulls are a sort of ocher. They are
almost the size of a walrus, a few of them
being caprble of raising tbeir heads about
six feet above the rock, while still keep –
ing their flippers on it. Many of them
will measure eleven feet in length, when
stretched out, and weigh at least a ton
and a half. It is all that four men can do
to roll a dead bull over a level and smooth
place. To roll it up hill for even a few
feet is out of the question.
The cliffs around the seal rookeries are
about twenty feet high at low tide and
somewhat difficult of ascent. The rocks
are greasy, from the seals climbing over
them, and afford a poor foothold, as well
as being almost perpendicular. The top,
however, is in the form of a series of ter –
races or steps. Each of these is about
two feet high, and the space between
them is absolutely flat at the eastern wall,
although the whole rock tips to the west.
As soon as the top of the rock became
visible the work of the bull seals was only
too apparent. Dead pups were scattered
on all sides and lame ones were strug –
gling around, crying piteously. The old
cows paid little attention and showed no
signs of fear. Their pups crawled close to
them, but the old ones seemed to know
that they were absolutely safe and made
not the least move to protect them.
After waiting quietly behind a project –
ing ledge of rock and allowing most of
the seals to crawl back on to the top of
the cliff an old bull was seen at the south
side of the island, bellowing fiercely.
“That’s one of the fellows I am after,”
said Mr. Butwsll. “Now watch him.
I have seen him kill a dozen young ones
and disable several of the young females.”
Watching his chance, the monster
floated on the top of a wave, and then
made a leap that landed him on the
rock, which be struck so hard as to shake
it. Rushing at a group of cows, he pushed
them over the cliff into the water.
Then he made a charge into a number of
pups that were sleeping peacefully in the
sunshine. He simply dropped on two
or three of the helpless creatures and
crushed the lives out of them.’ Then he
seized those within his reach and began
tossing them in all directions. Some
were thrown at least twenty feet into the
air, and falling on the rocks were crushed to death.
Others were thrown into the sea and drowned, while
a few were thrown with only enough force to break
their ribs, so they would wallow around helplessly
to eventually die in agony.
At this stage of the game Mr. Butwell raised his rifle
and put a bullet behind the brute’s ear. With a thud it
fell to the rock, but although a 45 caliber bullet with
ninety grains of powder behind it had been fired into
its head, the bull was not dead. It quivered and flopped,
and then a number of cows rushed up and attacked it
fiercely. They were chased off with stones.
It is remarkable the amount of vitality
there is in a seal. Five bullets had to be
fired into the head of the one mentioned
before it finally lay still. Of course if a
single bullet had really reached to the
brain, it would have died instantly, but
this is an almost impossible thing to do,
as the bullets, in some instances, simply
fracture the skull instead of going
through it.
When the bull was dead at last, the cows
on the rock, although only eight or ten
feet away, allowed it to be examined with –
out showing any signs of disturbance. If
anything, the death of the bull caused
them pleasure.
The mother seals, however, are not
always mild. If they in any way come to
think that their young are in danger they
will fight fiercely, and if it becomes ne –
cessary to wound one of them she will not
leave the cliff unless her pup is where she
can reach it. The cows are the best of
mothers, and when their pups are very
young will not leave them for a moment.
Generally it is possible to drive off a
cow seal by throwing stones at her.
Should one be struck in the face she will
show signs of fear and in most instances
retreat. Should she refuse to do this it is
necessary to get out of her way; but even
this course Is dangerous, as the rocks are
slippery, and should a man fall and the
seal spring on him his life would be
crushed out instantly.
It is a remarkable fact that no scientific
men have ever made a study of the seals
of Ano Nuevo Island. The fog signal log –
book shows that none have ever been
there, and the only reason that can be
given is that it is not generally known
that any seals ever come to the island.
