Object Number: 1992.1.109
Southern Elephant Seals were hunted for oil in South Georgia after Antarctic Fur Seals had been hunted close to extinction. The Falkland Islands Government issued licenses for elephant seal hunting alongside whaling operations between 1904 and 1965.
Sealers hunted on beaches in small groups. One Jager (driver) would drive a bull backwards down the beach and shoot it at the water’s edge. Then flensers cut the blubber from the carcass and pulled it into the water. The blubber was then towed to the sealing ship and taken to the factory for processing. Elephant seal oil was processed and sold separately to whale oil but the two were similar products. Seal oil was mainly sold for lubrication and leather treatment. Multiple sealing vessels operated out of Grytviken including Albatros, Dias and Petrel.
20th century elephant sealing was more regulated and sustainable than earlier sealing. The government mandated that sealers should only hunt mature males to ensure the population would remain healthy. Quotas were in place to control the numbers of seals being taken. For instance, in 1952 the annual quota was set at 6,000 bulls. The Government hired Sealing Inspectors to monitor the population.