The legend of the old whales

2001/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

The whale, specifically the Greenlandic whale, has a great importance in the folklore and life of the Inuit of the Aleutian Islands. Inuit are able to know whales and tell stories of each. But storytellers from different generations have repeatedly described the whale itself, which has led to speculation about the life of the Greenlandic whale. Are they able to live more than 60 years? And more for some.

The stone and ivory harpoon tips discovered on the surface of the whales captured in 1981 have aroused curiosity to investigate among California researchers. In fact, as soon as they were able to use metal tools, around 1870, the Inuit abandoned stones and bowling. Not even older hunters remember the use of these tips.

Moreover, chemical analyses with samples of dead whales show that most of them died at 20-60. Five were much older: one was 90 years old, four between 135 and 180 and the fifth over 200 years. Long-term erroneous analysis or mammals?