PENGUINS AND US: BITTERSWEET
Inside Our Complicated Relationship with Penguins
And when capitalism results in melted penguins.
Joseph Hatch boiled penguins.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Hatch began killing elephant seals and melting their bodies to create oil that was used for the production of products like lamps and soap. Once he used up any reasonable supply of elephant seals, he turned his attention to penguins. Royal penguins were endemic breeders on Macquarie Island and were the main target, and King penguins were also slaughtered. As the events continued, thousands of penguins were smelted daily, with penguins being used as fuel to smelt even more penguins. Hatch denied his adverse effects on the bird populations, claiming the penguin population had actually grown during his operations, and that if penguins were not harvested, they would leave the island and disappear.
The human-penguin relationship is complicated at best, tragic at worst.
Fortunately, Hatch’s business was eventually shut down, and he died at age 91 not in wealth, but in bankruptcy. His will was not honored, and he was buried in an unmarked grave in Hobart.
If Joseph Hatch’s story tells us anything, it shows us that the human-penguin relationship is complicated at best, tragic at worst.
A troubled past
Hatch was infamous for his dramatic techniques and perseverance in the face of science, but humans have been exploiting penguins for a long time. In Africa, Australia, and South America, penguins have been harvested for thousands of years. Some species, such as the Chatham crested penguin, have become extinct because of humans.
Penguins have a tendency to live on relatively isolated islands, and oftentimes far more Southern islands than humans from the past would find habitable. This has — fortunately — spared many species from extinction and persecution, at least until recent times. As the interest in the Antarctic and subantarctic grew due to curiosity and resources, new penguin species were discovered. Every one of these species would eventually suffer from their discovery, as we plundered their islands for pelts, oil, and eggs.
Every one of these newly discovered penguin species would eventually suffer from their discovery.
As time went on, however, the tide turned for penguins. Herbert Ponting’s photography and motion pictures displaying penguins in their natural habitats, along with his Ponko the Penguin stuffed toy mascot, helped to popularize the birds, and more people were opposed to the killings of penguins than ever before.
Penguin popularity and conservation today
Penguins, with their waddling gait, “tuxedo” plumage, and — oftentimes at least — a penchant for the polar, quickly became one of the most popular birds — even animals — in the world. They are now a cultural icon, despite the fact that many people have never even seen a penguin.
Penguins are one of the most popular animals, but without proper management, their populations won’t reflect their popularity.
Penguin conservation today is as important as it was 100 years ago, with oil spills, bycatch, and introduced predators being some of the main problems that penguins face. Climate change may well become the largest issue for penguins in the near future, as has already been seen in African penguins. With more frequent heatwaves and fish moving south, African penguins are one of the most endangered in the world.
Penguins are one of the most popular animals, but without proper measures taken to reduce introduced predators, overfishing, bycatch, climate change, and more — their populations won’t reflect their popularity.
