Early Alaskan Fur Farmers
Aug 17th 2011adminUncategorized
Prior to Alaska being annexed, the Russians were among the first to take an interest in the Alaskan fur trading. Russians began trading with the locals for sea otters pelts to supply furs to the Chinese markets. Seal furs also popular and they were the first to be bred for the fur collection. As the animal population declined so did the interest of fur trading.
During the 1800′s Russians relocated the silver and blue foxes to the Aleutian Islands and Americans followed with fox farming near Kodak. In 1920s fur farming become popular and during World War I fur prices increased until the depression in 1930s. The price of furs dropped forcing many of the fur farming operations to close. After World War II the few remaining fur farms continued to thrive with new farms starting up to include mink, beaver and muskrat furs.
Today fur farming continues to endure allowing nature to take its course with reproductive cycles. Foxes are breed during the early part of the year and give birth in the second quarter. Farmers are required to vaccinate and maintained acceptable habitats. As the coats develop and mature later in the year, farmers are harvesting the pelts.
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