Whaling

WHALING IN NEW ZEALAND

Did you know whaling was once big business in New Zealand?

Whaling was big back in 1791 because there were heaps of whales and they killed about 50,000 a year.

Why were whales hunted?

Whales were hunted for their Baleen which was used for corsets and whips. Ambergris was an ingredient in the expensive perfumes. Oil was used for lamps and machinery.

Ship and shore whaling

There were two ways to catch whales.

• Ship whaling:
  The earliest whaling was done from ships, when the lookout spotted a whale in the sea he sent a boat to sail after it and they armed with harpoons and big powerful men and when they caught the whale they cut the blubber off with sharp whaling spades.
  
  
• Shore whaling:
  When the lookouts on shore saw a whale, the gangs of men jumped into their boats and rowed after it. They would harpoon the whale and drag it back to shore.
  
  
  

  Conclusion
  
  

  Not many people kill whales now because they are endangered, but the Japanese still do it. But they have big fancy boats and they catch two at a time.
  

  
  

  
  Report by Jackson, whaling boat by Jackson, Jamie & Nick; green-fluke whale by Campbell & Travis; blue whale by Caitlin M.