Viva Lewes Issue #143 August 2018

WILDLIFE
Spectacled Cormorant
A tale of sea monsters, shipwrecks and Steller
Illustration by Mark Greco
As a boy I often dreamt of escape, adventure and
discovery. I fantasised about unexplored islands
where creatures never seen by mankind still
waited to be discovered and described. Due to
my bad timing I arrived on this planet too late,
but one of my heroes was in the right place at the
right time.
Georg Wilhelm Steller was born on 10th March
1709 and he died on the 10th March 1709. While
the midwife packed her bags his auntie persevered
and he was revived on 10th March 1709. Steller
loved nature and his childhood was spent in the
woods and fields around his home in Windsheim,
Germany where, like me, he dreamt of exploration
and discovery. At the age of 31 his golden ticket
arrived. He was to be the scientist on an expedition
led by the indomitable Commander Vitus Bering.
Steller’s journals are one of the greatest adventure
stories ever told. After the St Peter sets sail from
Siberia Steller spends time with the sexually liberated
native people – the Itelmen – and learns how
to cure scurvy from their female shamans. But after
reaching Alaska things go wrong. Horribly wrong.
Despite Steller’s medical advice the entire crew is
struck with scurvy. A relentless violent storm tears
the St Peter apart and Steller, the only healthy man
on board, reluctantly takes the helm. Eventually
what’s left of the crew find themselves shipwrecked
on an undiscovered island. Scurvy, starvation and
Arctic foxes claim more lives, including that of
Bering himself but, despite this hell, Steller nips off
to do some birdwatching. On the newly christened
Bering Island he finds new species of eider duck,
sea eagle and sea lion and discovers some actual sea
monsters: colossal 10-tonne sea cows swimming
offshore. On the rocky shores Steller is the first
man to encounter a giant ‘quite ludicrous’ seabird
– the Spectacled Cormorant. After 10 months
stranded the expedition finally made it home. Steller
died in 1746. Steller’s Sea Cow was hunted to
extinction just 27 years after being discovered. The
Spectacled Cormorant hid from the hunters for
another 80 years until it too was lost forever.
A few years ago Mark Greco and I undertook
our own expedition to Tring in Hertfordshire
to examine one of only seven stuffed specimens
of Spectacled Cormorant left on this planet.
We didn’t suffer the same hardships as Steller
(although we almost missed our connecting train at
Milton Keynes). Awestruck, I carefully cradled the
cormorant. Its green iridescent feathers shimmered
under the museum lights and brought the bird’s
plumage back to life. For a moment I imagined
these cormorants swimming amongst the sea cows
as Steller stood watching from the shore, and I
dreamt again of an undiscovered island somewhere
out there. Considering the fate of the Spectacled
Cormorant and Steller’s Sea Cow, perhaps it’s best
it stays that way. Michael Blencowe, Senior Learning
& Engagement Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust
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