WHALE

Scientists have retrieved a weapon fragment from a whale that suggests it may have swum its first strokes not long after the American Civil War.

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Scientists say it is rare to find a whale over 100 years old but believe some may reach 200.

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The bowhead whale was killed by indigenous hunters off Alaska as part of their subsistence quota.

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Experts think the wound was inflicted in about 1890

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more here

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Part of me finds this fascinating, I have a real interest in historical stuff like this. Yet part of me finds it repulsive. I just cannot find a reason to justify killing whales. This whale lived to at least 100 years old, why did it have to die? To feed some eople in Alaska? Surely the US government can afford to supplement them with some other foodstuff.

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Part of me also has an problem with my own arguments against this issue. I work with indigenous people here in Australia and I would never attempt to stop them hunting their traditional prey, hell I've even eaten plenty of it with them, they hunt Dugongs, Turtles and many other species.

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So I'm basically confused as hell about how I should feel about this. Probably take the easy way out and go "ooh look at the old spearhead"

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I'm pathetic really.

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I guess the whale had the last laugh though, he well outlived the bastard who speared him the first time!