Pribilof Islands facts for kids
The Pribilof Islands are a group of four volcanic islands located off the coast of Alaska. They are in the Bering Sea, about 200 miles (320 km) north of Unalaska. The islands used to be called the Northern Fur Seal Islands because of the many seals found there.
These islands are mostly rocky and covered with tundra, which is a type of treeless plain. In 2010, about 572 people lived on the islands.
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What Are the Main Pribilof Islands?
The two main islands are Saint Paul and Saint George. Saint Paul Island was named after a Christian holiday, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, because it was discovered on that day. Saint George Island was likely named after the ship of the person who discovered the islands, Gavriil Pribylov.
Close to St. Paul Island are two smaller islets called Otter and Walrus. All the islands together have a total land area of about 75 square miles (194 square kilometers). The Pribilof Islands are also part of the Bering Sea unit of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, which helps protect wildlife.
A History of Fur Seals and Trade
For a long time, the Aleut people did not live on the Pribilof Islands. However, they knew about the islands. In the 1780s, Russians learned about the seasonal trips of the Northern fur seal. These seals would swim north through the Aleutian Islands and return in the autumn with their new pups.
Russian trappers wanted to find where these seals had their babies. In 1786, a man named Gavriil Pribylov sailed to find this secret breeding ground. He discovered the islands, which were home to millions of seals! Because of this, the islands became famous for their fur seals.
Later, the Russian-American Company took over the fur trade on the islands. In 1867, the United States bought Alaska from Russia in what was called the Alaska Purchase. This meant the Pribilof Islands also became part of the U.S.
From 1870 to 1890, the U.S. government allowed the Alaska Commercial Company to hunt seals there. Then, from 1890 to 1910, the North American Commercial Company had this right. However, hunting seals in the open sea caused the number of seals to drop a lot.
To protect the seals, the United Kingdom, Japan, Russia, and the United States signed the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911. This agreement limited seal hunting in the area. Later, the Fur Seal Act of 1966 made it illegal to hunt seals in the Pribilofs, except for the native Aleut people who could hunt for their own food.
Protecting the Seals: A Historic Place
In 1913, a naturalist and paleontologist named Roy Chapman Andrews visited the islands. He filmed the fur seals, and his films helped lead to efforts to protect these animals.
Today, many of the old buildings on St. George and St. Paul Islands that were used for hunting the northern fur seal are part of a special area. This area is called a national historic district, which means it's an important place in history that is protected.
Life on the Islands Today
Most people on the Pribilof Islands live in the towns of St. Paul and St. George. Each town is on the island of the same name. Many of the people living there are related to each other. Both St. Paul and St. George have small airports, making it possible to fly there from mainland Alaska.
St. Paul had a population of 479 people in 2010. Its economy mainly depends on catching snow crab and halibut. People also work by helping commercial fishing boats that are in the Bering Sea. Some islanders also work for the U.S. Government. The U.S. Coast Guard has a base on St. Paul, and the National Weather Service has a station there. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also has a presence on the island.
St. George has a smaller population of 102 people. Its economy is similar to St. Paul's, focusing on fishing and related services.
The Pribilof Islands are also a great place for birdwatching. Many bird species that are not usually seen in other parts of North America can be found here. More than 240 different bird species have been identified. It's estimated that about two million seabirds nest on the islands every year. St. Paul Island is especially popular for birdwatching because it has a high cliff wall, called Ridge Wall, overlooking the Bering Sea.
Images for kids
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Map of the Pribilof Islands
See also
In Spanish: Islas Pribilof para niños
