Don’t knock dead whale selfies | Patrick Barkham
by Patrick Barkham from on (#11SHS)
It would be more tragic if no one wanted to see a dead sperm whale. We should be able to admire these incredible creatures without condemnation
When a sperm whale was washed up on the Norfolk coast, Thomas Browne raced from his home to inspect the animal. Braving an "abominable scent", Browne took samples and roasted some flesh in an attempt to discover the secret of the "oyl" or spermaceti after which the whale is named.
This great polymath and 17th century scientist wasn't the only disrespectful whale poker. A 1602 engraving by Dutch artist Jan Saenredam depicts crowds around another stranded whale: people clamber on it; one holds up a toddler to see it better. Our curiosity when these deep-sea mammals are washed into our shallows is timeless. But our condemnation of such sightseers is a very modern phenomenon.
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