Scientists Protest Annual Japanese Dolphin Slaughter

Each September a months-long ritual starts up again in the Japanese
villages of Taiji and Futo. Fishermen herd hundreds of dolphins into
shallow bays by banging on partially submerged rods.
Researchers say the dolphins are corralled into nets and then speared,
hooked, hoisted by their tails [image], and finally eviscerated alive.

A new consortium of scientists and wildlife officials today called on the
Japanese goverment to end the practice.

“The Japanese dolphin drive hunts are an abominable violation of any
standard of animal welfare, and these hunts inflict measurable pain
and suffering on animals that are intelligent, sentient, and socially
complex,” said Diana Reiss, Senior Research Scientist and Director
of the New York Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Research Program.

According to the researchers, the Japanese government claims that
the dolphins compete with local fishermen for limited supplies of fish
and that the drives are a type of pest control.
Act for Dolphins officials say the Japanese government encourages
the public to consume more dolphin meat, and it is also used for
pet food and fertilizer.

“The Japanese dolphin hunts are an assault on intelligent, sentient,
and emotional beings with brains that should make us all stop and think”
said Lori Marino, Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology
at Emory University.


SOURCE:
LiveScience.com

As much as I like Japan, this a truly dispicable practice that needs to
be stopped immediately.

Something I found interesting, that I've never heard scientists say,
is that Dolphins, just like Humans are sentient beings.

If that is the case, and I have no doubt it is, the people who are doing
this could be arrested and tried on murder charges.


Comments, Opinions?

[edit on 9/20/2006 by iori_komei]

That's twisted dude!!!!
I mean, really fuct!!
Eviscerated alive??

Bad Bad form.

That is quite horrifying! Ok, i can understand the need to keep population numbers down (within reason) to protect the local fishing industry etc, but surely there are better and more humane ways to do this!!! Are these people actually getting some sort of kick from this!? I thought Japan lived in the 21st Century, not the stone age!! This is sickening and makes me wonder about Japan as a nation if they allow this barbaric practice to continue.

So barbaric... as the dolphins are trapped they know they are going to be killed. I spammed the Jap Govt 3000+ emails cos I was so upset about it. Reminds me, must start spamming as season has started.


www.bluevoice.org...




[edit on 4-10-2006 by NJE777]

It is a truly horrible and dispicable thing.

In my opinion the people who are doing it should be tried with
mass murder and/or Genocide.


Oh, and I suppose you were trying to do this.
Fisherman at Futo have resumed Dolphim hunts. Taiji fisherman kil hundreds of Dolphins.

Originally posted by iori_komei
Oh, and I suppose you were trying to do this.
Fisherman at Futo have resumed Dolphim hunts. Taiji fisherman kil hundreds of Dolphins.

yes... so thanks. A lot of people simply dont care about this. Its not happening to them so they get on with their iddy biddy little selfish lives.

I actually dreamt about this and woke up in such a state. Just awful.

:O

This is ridiculous. Dolphins are the most human-like creature in the oceans. I think everyone agrees when i say that there is something special about dolphins....almost like they're divine creatures. Dolphins and whales rescue humans in the deep oceans,yet as far i know havent purposely killed a person. If you can get serious jail time for neglecting your dog......then surely a punishment far worse should be issued to these murderers.