Coastal whaling and dolphin killing alive and well in Japan

Despite global opposition, protests, outrage and all science condemning the consumption of cetacean meat as toxic and hazardous, Japanese whalers and dolphin killers continue the slaughter. According to a Sea Shepherd Wednesday evening (ET) tweet:

Taiji: 12 killing boats have left Taiji & are headed out to sea. Once again we can only hope that no dolphins will be found. #Tweet4Taiji

September 1 marked international Save Japan Dolphins Day with global protests and pleas to the Japanese government in front of Japanese consulates to put an end to the annual “drive” of of to 20,000 dolphins annually into small killing coves such as in Taiji, presented in the award-winning documentary The Cove. http://www.savejapandolphins.org/

A Rare Beaked whale killed by Japanese whalers a few days ago in Abashiri , Hokkaido Prefecture source: Thomas Gainard, IWPO and Japanese blog

http://www.internationalwhaleprotection.org/forum/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F1... IWPO

The beaked whales are not well understood because they are so rarely seen. Their populations are in trouble for various reasons, and they actually killed one. For money… but whales? They treat them like they're lives are valueless. This is part of the coastal whaling quota they allocated themselves. It renders us completely speechless. ..

https://www.facebook.com/Savemistythedolphin

Japan has been the center stage for the whaling controversy, continuing to kill large whales and dolphins --although greatly hindered for the past 5 years at sea by relentless pressure from Sea Shepherd (as seen on Animal Planet’s Whale Wars) and from global pressure due to the popularity of The Cove. Japan kills and processes whales under a loophole in the International Whaling Commission moratorium allowing cetaceans to be taken for ‘scientific research”. Central to the argument against whaling are the theories of cetacean intelligence and the degree of suffering the mammals endure during the kill. During the annual IWC meetings, pro-and anti-whaling country representatives lock horns and discuss gruesome details such as killing methods, quotas and amount of time from when a whale is harpooned until s/he dies.

Iceland, Norway and surprisingly the United States are whaling countries, allowing aboriginal or subsistence whaling.

https://www.facebook.com/gainard.thomas

http://www.examiner.com/article/dolphin-defender-overcomes-eating-disord...

, Boston Environmental Policy Examiner

Seasoned tree-hugger Patricia Sullivan is the Education Director for Cetacean Society International. She and her husband Paul globetrot to advocate for marine animals and the environment, and see our world through a humanistic lens. You may contact Patricia with your comments and questions.

Don't Miss...