This video is dedicated to the dolphins and whales devastated by the massacres in Taiji, Japan -- whether murdered outright, or condemned to miserable, drastically-shortened Lives, imprisoned in aquaria: Bottlenose Dolphins, Pilot Whales, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, Risso's Dolphins, Pantropical Spotted Dolphins, Striped Dolphins and others. We will never forget you, nor cease fighting for you! SEE LINKS BELOW TO HELP END THIS!
This is a concise, fact-filled video about the dolphin massacres in Taiji, Japan, using footage recorded by activists on-scene at the killing cove -- obtained through courage, patience and vigilance (the killers do all they can to hide this atrocity from the world).
Every year, from September 1 to March 31, thousands of dolphins are brutally slaughtered in Taiji, Japan. The killing method is slow and horrific, as is the dark truth about what motivates these massacres: the 'money dolphins' taken for captivity. This is not about 'food culture'. Taiji killers have only been hunting dolphins regularly since post-WWII, and only 6-8% of the town's population is associated with Isana Fisheries Union, which represents the killers. Worse still, the Japanese government knows that the meat is poisoned with high levels of mercury. Mercury poisoning sickens and kills people, and can cause deformities in babies.
They've dealt with this before in Minamata, where mercury poisoning from consumption of toxic meat devastated the town. Now, the resulting pathology is named after this tragedy (Minamata Disease). Despite international outrage and worldwide activism to stop the senseless killings of these bright, beautiful animals, Japan allows the massacres to continue.
Recently, scientists have presented evidence that dolphins meet the definition of personhood. The complexity of their brains, self-awareness, language and even culture place them closer to us than any other species -- and the gap between our two species and the rest of Life on this planet is wider than ever previously imagined. Recognizing the depth and significance of this knowledge makes the reality of both the slaughter and captive keeping of cetaceans morally and ethically bankrupt.
What is done:
The dolphins are hunted by a method called "oikomi" drives. Killers go out to known dolphin migratory routes and find a pod (family). Then, they spread out, placing long metal pipes with flared ends into the water and bang on the tops with hammers. The sound is terrifying and disorienting to dolphins, disrupting their sensitive sonar. They flee the resultant wall of sound. In this way, the killers drive the dolphins from open sea into a small cove. Many thrash themselves against the rocks in their desperate attempt to escape the painful noise. Once driven into the cove, the dolphins are netted off. If the family caught is of a "money dolphin" species (e.g., bottlenose), trainers from the nearby Taiji Whale(ing) Museum are called in.
They select the most attractive animals, for which they pay top dollar (a Live dolphin is worth $10,000 USD; a trained dolphin, up to $150,000 or more. A dead dolphin is only worth $600. Taiji is the largest exporter of captive dolphins in the world). After the family is robbed of their young and attractive loved ones, the killers herd the remaining dolphins toward shore and the sick, slow killing begins. The screams and thrashing sounds of the agonized dolphins can be heard as the killers move from one to the next, driving a metal spike by hand behind the head of each deeply traumatized animal, purportedly to sever their spinal cord and "kill them instantly" -- only accurate if one defines "instantly" to mean as much as TWENTY MINUTES or more. This sickening technique is called pithing, and done by hand, slowly and ineffectively, it is nothing short of pure torture for the victims.
The 7-Academy Award-winning film, "The Cove," addresses the Taiji dolphin slaughters and the issues surrounding them. The killings are still happening, right now. Please join the fight to END this cruel, senseless, inhumane and unethical action!
SEE COVE MONITORS' LIVE FEED OF DOLPHIN DRIVES:
http://www.taiji.ezearth.tv
WEBSITES: BE INFORMED AND JOIN THE FIGHT!
http://www.takepart.com/thecove
http://www.savejapandolphins.com
http://www.takepart.com/actions/cove-help-save-japans-dolphins
http://www.seashepherd.org
http://www.championsforcetaceans.com
TWITTER:
@CoveGuardians #tweet4taiji #tweet4dolphins #captivitykills #sjdolphins
To learn more about cetaceans meeting the definition of personhood, please visit:
http://www.indefenseofdolphins.com
http://www.cetaceanrights.org
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Apologies for different text fonts. This material is compiled from video footage from multiple activists.
Special thanks to @Martyn Stewart for permission to use excerpts from his powerful, amazing videos, and @Delphinusdelphis (no longer active), for original footage from the very first visual documentation of the hidden kills, recorded on-scene in Taiji, on Jan 18, 2011, when over 40 dolphins lost their Lives.