The Japanese dolphin hunt that has been gaining international attention over the past four days has finally come to an end in Taiji, conservation group Sea Shepherd announced in a statement posted to their Facebook page. In total, 52 dolphins were taken captive to be sold to international aquariums, 41 were slaughtered for their meat, bringing the grand total of dolphins taken to 93.

Mark Palmer, Associate Director of the International Marine Mammal Project, said that the hunt, which lasts for five months, goes from the first of September through the end of February. Hunters go out every day except Sundays, but they can’t hunt in bad weather, and don't find dolphins every day, “so it is pretty much catch as catch-can.”

Karla Sanjur, a volunteer on the ground in Taiji, added that there are usually at least one or two slaughters each week, saying, “Tomorrow morning they will most likely go back out again and there could be another slaughter as soon as Friday.”

As far as the dolphins that were released on Tuesday, they may not be in the clear yet -- they have been without food for four days, and many are juveniles. “Many of these dolphins who were driven out will not survive and will soon be found washed ashore in the coming days”

https://www.thedodo.com/next-dolphin-hunt-could-be-as--397580588.html

the human species sucks and I am ashamed to be one!

K&R for exposure.

global warming and other environmental disasters will most likely go totally un- addressed, until its too late (obviously)

then the forces of nature will scrub the filth of humanity off the face of the Earth,

then the natural systems will heal and take back the planet, and it will be a better place without us.

And welcome to DU.

I wish we could give them legal status and rights to put an end to this horrible practice.

If it lives in water, it's nothing but food to them. Hence their campaign of murder against whales, etc.

Fukushima.

Seriously?

Talking about the psyche of a nation/race is always interesting and there's a lot of nuance. Japan is a rarefied country psychologically because of what we did to them in general, both in the bombing and in the things we did during the occupation afterwards that result to this do in many taboos.

But broadbrushing them? Please. At least next time put in some text with something more than just an "nt".

any of their actions in Nanking, Bataan, Okinawa, etc, etc, etc, have some bearing?

“The first test conducted in 2008 by BlueVoice.org of meat from a bottlenose dolphin revealed Mercury at 7.20ppm – eighteen times higher than the maximum level permitted under Japanese health standards.”

The Revenge of the Dolphins.

There are videos of still-living dolphins being dragged up the street by their tails behind trucks, and leaving bloody streaks as they go. The slaughter isn't exactly quick.

This needs to stop.

It appears most of the deaths were due to lung infections, etc.

I know stress suppresses the immune system. I imagine captive dolphins are quite stressed, especially when separated from their calf.

I'm still heartbroken over what those bastards are doing, but at least the article .... well it helps the crying a little bit.

see my post below.

John Dineley? Think maybe he has an interest in saying dolphins don't commit suicide? He's the founder of Zalophus Zoological, a specialist consultancy whose founder John Dineley has over 40 year experience involved in the design and operation of aquatic animal displays for zoos, aquaria and the leisure industry.

Oh ...



I hate the human species....why do we have to suck so bad?

I am so angry at the way that both sides lie about biology. I work with a conservation organization. We spend hella time combatting utter BS about animals, the environment, and basic biology. Why some groups feel they're doing animals any favors by making up utterly nonsensical sob stories versus talking about the sickening FACTS, I have no idea. There are so many thing that kill wildlife under stress that we should be talking about.

This reminds me of the idiot who plastered his photo all over holding "his" rescued eagle, showing how it was leaning up on him and claiming that they had a bond, and it understood that he had saved it. No, loser - that is a very sick bird, and that behavior means it needs urgent medical evaluation. *facepalm*

This crap is E V I L.

How would one of these "hunters" feel if someone did this to THEIR FAMILY?

where are you?

Their group is called The Cove Guardians. That's where Jane Valez-Mitchell gets all her live streaming information.

Love those guys.

[link:http://www.seashepherd.org/cove-guardians/what-you-can-do.html|

as it was being herded in.

Last edited Tue Jan 21, 2014, 04:00 PM - Edit history (1)

January 21, 2014
by Mark Palmer

http://dolphinproject.org/blog/post/support-ambassador-caroline-kennedy-and-the-dolphins

Associate Director
International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute

Over a very hard weekend for the dolphins in Taiji, the new US Ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, spoke out for the dolphins.

Ambassador Kennedy, in response to news reports that as many as 250 bottlenose dolphins were trapped in the Cove and waiting to be slaughtered, sent out a tweet: "Deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing.” She further added that the official position of the US government was to oppose the killing of dolphins.

The reaction from the Japanese government was unfortunately as expected. Mr. Yoshida Suga, the chief cabinet Secretary and a spokesman for the government, was asked about the US Ambassador’s opposition at a press conference.

"Dolphin fishing is a form of traditional fishing in our country," he replied. He then added ominously, "We will explain Japan's position to the American side."

Japan’s government explanations for their actions on whaling and killing dolphins are full of lies and bombast. They are not interested in discussing the issue, nor do they stick to traditional Japanese courtesy and diplomatic niceties.

Ambassador Caroline Kennedy needs to be supported in her position. The Japan government will obviously go over her head to protest to the Obama Administration and the US State Department. And there are factions in the Obama Administration who have been less than supportive of the U.S. position against Japan’s whaling.

As Jane Velez-Mitchell said on her program last night (which featured Ric O'Barry): “Right on, Caroline!”

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2014/01/20/dolphin-hunt-taiji-japan-cove

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Ric O’Barry and Earth Island’s Dolphin Project Team are seeking a meeting in Tokyo with Ambassador Kennedy and in December sent her materials including a copy of The Cove.

Send a message to the White House and to Secretary of State John Kerry, urging them to support Ambassador Kennedy and use their influence to end the Taiji dolphin hunts.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

http://contact-us.state.gov/app/ask/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5MDI4MjE1NS9zaWQvTFVUSDZWS2w%3D

You can send a message to the US Embassy in Japan thanking Ambassador Caroline Kennedy for opposing the Taiji dolphin drive hunts. You can encourage her to use her influence to help end the hunts.

http://japan2.usembassy.gov/e/info/tinfo-email.html

Kennedy would not have tweeted about Taiji without Obama's blessing.

I bet they make more money selling the live dolphins than the ones slaughtered for meat.

At least i can do something, however small.

Any going to the U.S.??

SeaWorld is the major buyer at Taiji!

Is there data that shows this?

Sea World still supports other facilities that take in these dolphins.

And still imports the captive offspring of live-caught dolphins.


SeaWorld is a slimy business.

they can go club some baby seals. That's also a "tradition."

If you visit there natives give talks to tourists about said tradition, including which human body parts are most tasty.

to eat people, let's send them dolphin and seal killers for their dinner. Sounds about right to me.

I'm sure the murders will understand and gracefully respect their tradition.

People need to learn that dolphins are in a special category and should never be killed by humans.

to see some species develop speech and then we will al be mortally ashamed at how we have treated them. I honestly believe many of these so-called animals are just as aware, and developed as we are and we should be very careful how we treat them.

Please think about this people.