Every year between September and March, hundreds of dolphins and whales are slaughtered by hunters in Taiji, Japan. The practice is often explained as a tradition – but, in reality, these large-scale hunts began only in 1969. This year, shortly before the day marking the beginning of yet another killing season, 23 environmental and animal welfare organizations from all over the world came together to ask Japan to finally put an end to the hunts, International Marine Mammal Project reports.
Despite the reality that whale and dolphin meat is typically full of toxins that have been stored in their blubber, this meat is still put out on the market for sale. Interestingly, consumption of dolphin meat has dropped significantly in the past few years, but the slaughter continues none the less.
Out of the hundreds of animals herded into “the cove,” some of the prettiest will be hand selected for a life in captivity. Although they may be spared a brutal and painful death, these dolphins endure arguably a worse sentence toiling away in small, maddening tanks. Many people don’t realize that these dolphins are captured and shipped to aquariums and amusement parks across the world – meaning, visitors who pay to see these animals on display are also funding the continued slaughter of countless whales.
Now, International Marine Mammal Project is calling on Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to stop the dolphin and whale hunts in Taiji once and for all. The message is endorsed by 22 of its colleague organizations, all in all representing around two million members and supporters.
“Now is the time for Japan to start phasing out dolphin hunting and whaling,” says the letter to Japan’s PM – and, hopefully, the huge opposition to the practice will finally make a change and eventually lead to the end of the killings.
If you believe this horrific slaughter needs to stop, share this article and raise awareness about the true cost of captivity!
Image source: joakant/Pixabay
If India which boasts vegetarian tradition for several thousand years told us to stop whaling maybe we Japanese would listen. But why you beefeaters think that you have right to blame whaling tradition which dates back thousands of years.
And why you don’t blame Norway, Iceland and Korea which ignore IWC ruling and continues commercial whaling? Why you blame only Japan which tries to compromise under IWC?
Firstly beefeaters should shut down thousands of cattle and sheep raising firms in western countries in which millions of mammals are raised just to be slaughtered. It’s definitely inhumane and against ethics
https://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-commentary/commentary/the-whale-wars-continue.html
The whaling tradition, as you call it, is a tradition of extermination of marine life for economic gain, not to sustain life.
I have nothing against Japan, except for this "whaling tradition." Japan isn\’t alone in killing whales.
And you are 100% right about cattle and sheep ranching and slaughter being inhumane and against ethics. That is why there is a vegan movement to challenge people to consider their dietary choices. All nonhuman animals–including whales, cattle and sheep–are trapped in the hell of humanity.
MUST BAN THE CRUEL TAJI HUNT ON THE GREAT DOLPHINS NOW.
MUST BAN THE CRUEL CATTLE RAISING IN WESTERN COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY WORLD\’S BIIGEST BEEF EXPORTER COUNTRIES LIKE AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEELAND AND THE US.
Unfortunately Japan is a death cult, from this to whaling to their decimation of certain fish populations. We need to drive them to end these holocausts up to and including sinking their ships and eliminating those that participate in these slaughters.
I am sure about one thing. People like you who are ignorant to minority cultures or believes, bullied others with violent language, gave hand to Nazis and actually suppressed Jewish people.