Some People Continue To Need Whale Blubber.
The demand for whale blubber has surged on despite the fact that it is not so necessary to use it as a base material for modern day products. Disregard for the whale by fishermen and organizations alike in international waters does not help the situation, indeed it exasperates it. The ongoing slaughter of the whale for its meat and by-products, such as oil, perpetuates this situation. Despite this, there are some who still need to hunt the whale.
The blubber of a Bowhead whale, traditionally hunted by the Eskimos of Alaska, accounts for up to 20% of its total body weight. This jelly-like material which helps protect the animal in freezing waters has a wide range of uses for them.
The small number of Eskimo communities that survive to this day (nine in total) live off the Bowhead whale, taking great care to use all parts to the maximum benefit of the people. Uses from the whale blubber can include oils for candles, and fuel for lighting and heating, to name but a few. Of course there is a great need for the meat too. This need for such basics is not so transparent in other parts of the world where alternative products and fuel sources are readily available.
The Eskimo may also be an endangered species in the near future. Are we not obliged to support and better understand the needs and culture of a people who are also fighting for their continued existence? A total ban on the tradition of whale hunting would possibly quicken the deterioration of these relatively small communities already threatened by global warming. Not only does hunting provide whale blubber, food, and oils, but it also continues the direct relationship between the Bowhead and the cultural identity of the people.
The good news is that the growing Bowhead numbers will be looked upon in favour with a likely continued pardon for these unique hunters. Coupled with the greatly enhanced strategies and methods for harvesting their prey, the future of the Eskimo looks far better than it did not so long ago.
What must be tackled comprehensively is the ongoing slaughter of whales in international waters by a small group of whalers intent on selling whale blubber to a diminishing number of customers back home. A collaborative approach by the international community will surely help to secure the future of the whale. There are so many other options out there to choose from.
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Tags: Animal Behavior, Animalia, biology, Cetacea, Chordata, Education, Endangered Animals, Flora and Fauna, Mammalia, science, wildlife, Zoology