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Half of live dolphins caught in Japan exported despite outcry

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Seems like a lucrative business. So much for the tradition. By the way, an alternative kanji set which can be read as Taiji is this, 退治. It means "extermination".

6 ( +13 / -7 )

Well since the ban has been put into place it is now time to see it enforced!

6 ( +11 / -5 )

The hipocracy of these organizations are incredible. While the "drive hunt" is considered cruel, it's perfectly acceptable to keep these animals in small tanks and parade them around for a profit. Who cares how the dolphins are captured. Start with demanding that zoos and aquariums stop caging them and then maybe you will see this kind of activity stop.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

jonnydesuJUN. 08, 2015 - 07:38AM JST The hipocracy of these organizations are incredible. While the "drive hunt" is considered cruel, it's perfectly acceptable to keep these animals in small tanks and parade them around for a profit. Who cares how the dolphins are captured. Start with demanding that zoos and aquariums stop caging them and then maybe you will see this kind of activity stop.

It's already happening. Many countries have or are preparing to introduce laws that make it illegal to keep dolphins and other cetacean mammals. Happy?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

It seems that WAZA would have to say to China, SKorea, Russia, USA,,etc "Don't buy dolphins from Japan." However many countries seem to want live dolphins from Japan.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

When this news were discussed on the TV they forgot to mention the slaughter of dolphins.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

"When this news were discussed on the TV they forgot to mention the slaughter of dolphins."

Of course, no one in Japan ever saw the slaughter until the secret video footage come out. Unpleasant things that would embarrass Taiji are best unseen or unmentioned.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

British people should mind their own business. How about stopping bird hunt or fox hunt they do for fun instead?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Zoos and aquariums can be productive for children because it helps them appreciate and become interested in animals, which in turn can lead to people entering that field of study.

Any extreme from total animal captivity to total freedom could be detrimental to animals and humanity. Though, I am a promoter of nature reserves, where animals are given more freedom to roam, and enjoy a somewhat natural environment compared to closed cages and tight aquariums.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

YubaruJun. 08, 2015 - 07:29AM JST

Well since the ban has been put into place it is now time to see it enforced!

What ban? As far as I know, there is no international agreement on "ban" of dolphin hunt or capture of live dolphins. Their argument is just based on the emotion that catching dolphins alive is so cruel.

Yubaru, would you tell me what "ban" and "enforcement" you are talking about?

2 ( +7 / -5 )

"Many of the dolphins are butchered for food". We know, from Japanese scientists, that dolphins and small whales are heavily contaminated by mercury. No one should be eating meat from dolphins and small whales. Mercury attacks fetuses (胎児) (taiji) in pregnant women, causing terrible life-long brain damage.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I'm pretty sure Yubaru is referring to the recent boycott by Japanese marine parks to buy live dolphins from Taiji.

The sale of live dolphins is possibly more cruel than the slaughter. A small percentage of these animals do not survive the journey. It's a very lucrative business and has bugger all to do with culture, unless you consider the culture of raping the seas for profit, then it could be considered culture.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Today we give thanks to all the brave dolphins that have sacrificed their lives and freedoms for us. These dolphins are truly heroic. Thank you dolphins.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

The purpose of most zoos is for education, Franschesca, and so how can your children learn about animals if they never get to see them in real life? And as for the dolphins taken alive in Taiji and exported to zoos, I can well imagine they would be traumatised by witnessing their fellow dolphins being butchered, as they are "family" animals with a sense of community, and that therefore they could well have behavioural problems later in captivity.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Thanks for the great idea Japan. After we conquer your rapidly withering planet and enslave you, we Baltans are going to farm you out to other malevolent alien worlds like our friends the Zetton and Dada so they can put you in cages and gawk at your helplessness.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

The purpose of most zoos is for education, Franschesca, and so how can your children learn about animals if they never get to see them in real life? And as for the dolphins taken alive in Taiji and exported to zoos, I can well imagine they would be traumatised by witnessing their fellow dolphins being butchered, as they are "family" animals with a sense of community, and that therefore they could well have behavioural problems later in captivity

and what did you do yesterday? Why weren't you out there protesting dolphin abuse?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The brutal way that Japanese capture cetaceans and then hold them in pens for days without any food I barbaric.

These beautiful but helpless animals are then subjected to the utmost terror imaginable by these so called fishermen. They are run over by the props of the skiffs and manhandled into boats to be enslaved.

The poor animals left behind are then terrified and rounded into the cove and brutally murdered. These dolphins DO NOT die quickly, some taking up to twelve minutes to die a most painful death, whilst the rest can only look on helpless knowing that they too will be next.

This is not a tradition this is cold blooded murder.

I will never visit a marine park, and yes I do speak out to help these animals and donate to Sea Shephard.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

"Moral values and respect for all living creatures starts at home." I've sent you a dolphin in the post.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Flipper will be spinning in his (watery) grave.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Joanne Reynolds - I will never visit a marine park, and yes I do speak out to help these animals and donate to Sea Shephard.

Oh well, less crowded dolphin viewing for me, I guess. Thanks to the U.S. Ninth Circuit court's ruling, future donations to the eco-terrorists SS will be sent to the Institute of Cetacean Research and Kyodo Senpaku.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Paul,

That's the sort of rubbish I would expect from a five year old! lol

I am not, and have never been a terrorist of any sort! I am an environmental scientist (one who does not kill anything).

The west has gotten more scientific information from electronic tagging etcin the last few years, than the Japanese have from their butchery of cetaceans in their entire history of whaling.

There is nothing to be gained by killing these creatures. There is more money to be made from "eco holidays" and cetacean watching.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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