Friday, Mar 29 2024
All Cities
Choose Your City
'Baikal…I have never seen water that clear in my life'
0

Rare bowhead whale caught by villagers in Chukotka

By 0 and 0 and 0
14 September 2016

0

Whalers here are permitted to catch these whales in what is seen as subsistence whaling, vital for the survival of remote communities. Picture: Konstantin Lemeshev 

Whalers from Lorino, Chukotka caught the bowhead weighing 51 tonnes in the Bering Sea some 12 kilometres off Cape Akkani.

The 15 metre mammal was hauled into shore using all available boats, ropes and winches, the second to be caught in three years. 

Reports say the bowhead was immediately butchered and put in cold storage. 

Bowhead whale near Lorino

Reports say the bowhead was immediately butchered and put in cold storage. Picture: Eduard Ryphirgin

Whalers here are permitted to catch these whales in what is seen as subsistence whaling, vital for the survival of remote communities.

The catch will be an important food for locals in the village with 1,200 people throughout the winter. 

The head of local community Alexey Ottoi thanked residents for help butchering the whale.

Whalers from Lorino, Chukotka caught the bowhead weighing 36 tonnes. Picture: The Siberian Times

Map

Comments (3)

What a pity to kill such a beautiful and majestic animal. If it is true that such people are allowed to consume few whales for their survival could they have spared a rare whale and instead hunt a commoner species?? Mind you I am not in favour of any hunting of wild animals because I think that these people can rear land animals for their needs such as yak etc..
Matthew Tabone, Malta
07/11/2016 06:26
1
2
What a lake of knowledges on the previous post. Have you ever been there and see how people leave ? Obviously not !
Ehquionest, France
20/09/2016 08:44
2
0
Political Correctness prevents those of us who disagree with these "customs" from voicing our displeasure. Maybe things are different in Siberia but here in Canada our aboriginal people use the excuse that they need to hunt whales in order to have enough food and everyone is forced to pretend that it is true, even though these people can get food from the same places as everyone else in the country. If you live somewhere where the only way you can eat is to hunt endangered whales then perhaps you should consider moving to another location. People have had to migrate in the search for food for most of human history. You don't have a "sacred right" to live on a particular piece of land.
Richard Sanchez, Vancouver, Canada
16/09/2016 08:41
7
2
1

Add your comment

We welcome a healthy debate, but do not accept offensive or abusive comments. Please also read 'Siberian Times' Privacy Policy

Name

Town/Country

Add your comments

The views expressed in the comments above are those of our readers. 'Siberian Times' reserves the right to pre-moderate some comments.

Control code*

Type the code

* obligatory


News

Business

The Bank of Russia official exchange rates of foreign currencies
EUR99.71USD92.26GBP116.52Other...