The Call to end ALL Whaling

(Artist credit: Jean Luc Bozzoli)

This is an interesting article written by a professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland:

The Whale Hunt that Knows No Tradition

Some excerpts that I liked:

Another argument Japan makes in favour of whaling is that it is for scientific research. Simply, if research destroys a species it should not be carried out, and if research is necessary to improve the ecological well being of a species every effort must be made to minimise the impact of the research.

and

If the research was genuinely concerned with conservation of the humpback it would not be abandoned for a better bilateral relationship, or the hunt would not even have been considered in the first place. Humans are in no position to "cull" wild species, except in cases in which our past mistakes have skewed the natural balance and thus need to be corrected, such as with the cane toad.

also

The extent of the impact of humans on the planet is undeniable. This must be compensated for in every way possible, and we must keep changing unsustainable practices. Clearly it is time to move on.

It's a small victory that the Japanese whalers have agreed to not hunt the humpbacks for at least a year or two. In saving face and keeping with their national "pride," they deny that they buckled due to increasing global pressure. However, the pressure is still on and globally, people are not backing away.

Japan is currently in the hunt to kill at least 50 fin whales and over 950 minke whales. Fin Whales are considered either endangered or vulnerable, depending on who you talk to and who you're reading.

Battle Turns to Rare Fin Whales

It will be the first time fin whales - the second largest creatures on the planet - have been hunted since the 1960s. They were brought to the edge of extinction before commercial whaling was banned in 1986, and even now may number only 5000 in the Southern Ocean.

The Australian Government made a formal diplomatic protest, backed by 31 countries, in Tokyo on Saturday night to mark the start of Japan's whaling season.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer, New Zealand's commissioner to the International Whaling Commission, said killing fin whales was unacceptable. "They are more endangered than humpbacks and they are much bigger. These animals are very difficult to study. The idea that you're going to kill them off before you find out about them is really pretty awful."

Meanwhile, Greenpeace refueled yesterday morning and headed back out to the Southern Ocean, in search of the Japan whaling fleet.

In keeping with their peaceful, non-violent means of protest, Greenpeace will attempt to "foil" the whalers by placing people in six inflatable boats situated between the Japanese harpoons and the whales to protect them from being killed.

Read more here: Greenpeace out to foil Japanese whalers

Over 41,000 people have signed the following petition, pressuring Japan to end ALL whaling. Have you?

Sign the petition to end whaling

Mahalo,

Dolphin

Humpback Kill Suspended - For Now

(Artist Credit: Jeff Wilkie)

Well, it appears to be official now. Japan has agreed to suspend it's humpback whale hunt while discussions are under way to reform the International Whaling Commission. They still are still on track to pursue over 900 Minke whales and over 50 Fin whales.

Links:

Japan Calls Off Whale Cull

Under Pressure, Japan Suspends Humpback Hunt


I was going to write something snarky about the Beluga Whales being forced to entertain the ignorant Japanese audience members, but this writer did it for me. Leave the Animals Alone


Enough (for now) about all the killing, politics, and fighting, it's making me depressed.

Check out the following links. They are absolutely stunning.

Whale Footage

Wild Things Photography

Life Size Whale


Mahalo,

Dolphin

Humpbacks Spared - But Not Minkes or Fins

(Artist credit: Christian Lassen)

Eh, seems the news releases are causing a little confusion about Japan suspending the whale hunt this season.

To clarify, it appears they will sign off on suspending the hunt for the 50+ humpback whales they had planned to kill. They still continue with their plans to hunt down and kill over 900 Minke and Fin whales.

Japan on verge of dropping humpback kill - but will still pursue Minkes

So it's a semi-victory at this point in time. Still something to celebrate, but yet more work needs to be done and the protests need to continue to be heard.

Screw this. Japan relationship still good

Excerpt:

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Mr Garrett on Wednesday announced the federal government would send a formal diplomatic protest to Tokyo and send a Customs vessel into the Southern Ocean to monitor the Japanese whale hunt.

and

"We think the relationship is robust enough and there's enough good relationships between us ... to have a difference of opinion on this issue," Mr Garrett told the Nine Network.

A difference of opinion? Pbbbllltttt It's still about politics and greed.


Prime Minister Kevin Rudd reminds me of Bill Clinton's policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" regarding gays in the military. Mr. Rudd is playing both sides of the fence and trying to please everyone. The problem with that is, he's not taking a very strong stand on the issue of whale hunting because he cares more about his country's economic relationship with Japan.

Read more here: Japan put on notice

Another news release: Japan seen halting humpback whale hunt

Excerpt:

Japan has apparently agreed not to kill humpback whales during its current Antarctic hunt, the U.S. ambassador to Tokyo said on Wednesday, a move that could help ease criticism of its controversial whaling programme.

Sorry, that's bullshit. I do not see this easing criticism and it shouldn't. Japan's claims that killing over 900 minke and fin whales is for scientific research is completely bogus. There are so many other ways to do scientific research on these mammals without harming or killing them. This continues to be, in my opinion, a serious outrage.


United States pushes Japan to Halt Whale Hunt

A Japanese official said there was no written agreement to halt the hunt, but acknowledged that Tokyo could be considering changes to its whaling program in light of the fierce international opposition to the hunt.

and

Critics say the program is a shield for Japan to keep its whaling industry alive until it can overturn a 1986 ban on commercial whaling.

One step forward, two steps back. I see this as a very slight improvement and it comes across to me as sort of a temporary means of appeasing people and to get them to back off a bit.

I don't think so.

Late addition due to a new press release:

Japan Denies Agreement on Humpback Whale Kill

Excerpt:

A spokesman for Japan's Foreign Ministry says there is no formal agreement yet on abandoning his country's plans to kill up to 50 humpback whales in the Southern Ocean this summer.

Last night, the US Ambassador to Tokyo revealed that Japan may agree to abandon the humpback kill because of international concerns.

The ABC has been told that an agreement could be finalised later this week.

Tomohiko Taniguchi from Japan's Foreign Ministry says he is not aware of an agreement at this stage.

Someone needs to get their stories straight and stop screwing around on this issue.

Mahalo,

Dolphin

Earth, Whales, and Seals

Check out this really cool site called Earth-Touch. Amazing videos of wildlife and marine mammals. Registering is free.

Bear in mind it's still in the beta stage so technical difficulties might occur. Definitely worth your while.

Greenpeace currently has a Whale naming contest going on. Voting ends November 30th.

So far, the leading name is Mister Splashy Pants ( lol ) I voted for "Libertad," which means 'freedom' in Spanish.

You can only vote once, but spread the word.

Another excellent site to check out that covers the issues of Whaling and what we can do to stop it is, Stop Whaling.

There are action alerts, news links, and other informative contacts and connections. Bookmark it and check in on it regularly :-)

Someone is taking sick pleasure in shooting at fur seals in an area that was set aside for the conservation of wildlife. Read more here: Dozens of fur seals found shot dead in Tasmania

And some people wonder why I often prefer the company of the non-human species. Sad .. just very, very sad.

Cool article here about how the environment can shape dolphin noises. The research was done by a college student and her current project now is to study the acoustics of the humpback whales.

Environment Shapes Dolphin Noises

On a side note, I have decided to add a couple of Amazon widgets to my sidebar. I've long shopped at Amazon but was not an affiliate until today.

The reason why I decided to join them as an affiliate is because I like their huge stock of inventory relating to dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals. I also happen to like their service and have never been disappointed.

The first widget includes random items that Amazon selects according to the content of my blog. You'll find a lot of terrific things there to check out.

The second widget includes books that I have personally read, have enjoyed immensely while learning a great deal, and feel good about recommending. This list may expand, given I am an avid book worm and am usually reading a book when I'm not online, watching my favorite sports, or walking my dogs.

Currently, I am reading "The Emotional Lives of Animals" by Marc Bekoff. It's at the top of my recommended list on the sidebar. It's truly an amazing book.

I know in my first post I stated that at the time, I had no intention of including a means of earning money here. However, I plan to donate 10% of anything I earn via this blog and the links provided on here, to the organizations I have listed in my sidebar. I plan to rotate around them every month (if I have earned anything) and making the donations. There are a lot of worthy organizations on this list so I like to spread it around.

I look forward to being able to do more in this area and hopefully we can all make a difference in our own way.

Please feel free to let me know you're out there, reading and enjoying my blog (or not lol). I welcome feedback, criticism, comments, etc. Don't be shy!

Thanks for making me part of your journey!

Mahalo,

Dolphin

Victory for Whales, Not So Much for the Dolphins

"The Labor Party of Australia has won the election and they have won by a landslide and this could be wonderful news for the whales of Antarctica."

More to this on Sea Shepherd

Have you ever been to Sea World and seen the dolphins? I haven't and always refused to go when friends would ask. Why? Because I have a problem with dolphins being in captivity. This is a very controversial issue in the marine wildlife world.

People love dolphins, but they often suffer a failure of empathy and imagination. They do not make the connection that to bring a dolphin into these preposterously unnatural circumstances requires that dolphins be ripped from their natural environment, kidnapped from their families and pod mates, held in nets, carried in trucks, hoisted into planes and flown to distant locations. Many die in the process. Those that survive are condemned to a life in a cement tank, listening to the interminable hum of the filtration system and the screams of the audience.

If you'd like to see more on this issue, please check out Dolphins in Captivity - The Harsh Truth

In Osaka, Japan:

As you enter the circular confines of this grotesque arcade you see a circular tank 5-foot deep circling a kind of stage area. It's a bit like a race course only smaller. Closer still you find there are two dolphins in this hallucinatory situation. They press close to the glass, desperate for something - contact? food? entertainment? I stand eye-to-eye with one of them. I cannot penetrate its mind and perhaps that is a good thing. The situation is conducive to madness.

Where did these dolphins come from and what was left behind?

The two dolphins at World Ranch were taken from Taiji. Most of their pod mates were butchered and left to bleed to death on the beach. The rest were shipped to aquaria and swim-with programs around the world.

Also check out: Aquarium Industry Spurs Dolphin Slaughters

Following is the link on a video expose Blue Voice did in Japan on this matter. Please be aware that parts of it are very graphic, documenting the slaughters and how these dolphins are captured, tortured, and killed.

Link to Video Expose

It makes me literally ill to my stomach that these people lack such compassion and support these actions. Even if someone is against dolphin slaughters, how can they then support these aquariums, knowing full well how these dolphins got and what they are being deprived of now.

Greed is the motivating factor obviously.

How would these people feel if they were herded in this manner, randomly selected for torture and slaughter, or picked to live in a small holding pool and be expected to "perform" for an audience?

Seriously. Round up these fishermen, keep 'em flopping about in the water struggling to either breathe or to be free. Hang 'em up in the air with threats to gut 'em open like they do the dolphins. Throw a couple of 'em into a small pool and throw them a fish now and then to eat. Then expect them to leap in and out of the water for a paying audience.

(Note that I am not advocating violence against these fishermen. I'm merely making a point that perhaps they need to be given a slight taste of their own medicine.)

Just sayin',

Dolphin

More on Japan Whaling

Thanks to Possum for sending me these two news clips. One is about a stranded whale that freed itself off of the R.I. Coast and the other is about the Japan Whale hunt.

A juvenile humpback whale that got tangled in fishing gear and had been stranded off the Rhode Island coast over the weekend freed itself and swam off Monday as rescuers sought to aid it.

Read more here: Humpback whale freed off R.I. Coast

Japanese fisherman claim that their target kill number of 50 humpback whales is their "line in the sand."

Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace both vow to intervene with the Japan whaling fleet in hopes of preventing any carnage out there in the Antartic waters. Read more here: Group vows to block Japan whaling fleet

If this sort of issue concerns you and you would like to do something about it, please visit the Sea Shepherd and / or Greenpeace websites. Both accept donations that are tax deductible.

"We cannot have peace among men whose hearts find delight in killing any living creature." ~ Rachel Carson ~

Mahalo,

Dolphin