The Slaughter of the Whales: A History of the Greenland Whale Fishery

Created by Dr Martyn Gorman, Reader in Zoology, University of Aberdeen

What kind of resource is this?

A website on the history of the Greenland whale and seal fisheries, particularly the Scottish involvement, using resources from Scran and elsewhere.

Read the full case study to find out more about this resource and how it was made.

Who was it designed for?

Second year undergraduate students in ocean biology. Also suitable for a wide range of people interested in marine biology, whales and whaling and the exploitation of natural resources.

Points of interest:

One of the highlights of The Slaughter of the Whales is the huge variety of images used to illustrate the subject area. Expect to find everything from oil paintings, war photography, and newspaper archives to manuscripts, maps and museum objects, as well as the author’s own digital photos taken in various locations around the world. The content covers many different aspects of the whale industry, such as why whales were hunted, different kinds of whales, uses of whales, what life was like for the men involved in the industry and the devastating impact of the whale industry on whale and seal populations. As such, it provides a valuable opportunity for science students to develop a deeper understanding of the social context and the social consequences of the work in which they are involved.

View this resource:

The Slaughter of the Whales | website