This has been quite a week in Taiji. The Cove has stayed blue with no dolphin killing for 18 straight days!
On the flip side, last Friday the Japanese police raided the hotel rooms of all the Cove Guardians taking SD cards, phones and computers. The raid was in response to damage to a statue in Taiji caused by one of the Cove Guardians, but more likely it was an excuse to cut off communication. With no equipment, they are unable to document the hunt and killing of the dolphins.
The Cove Guardian who had tampered the statue, Nils Greskewitz, was a German national and had only been in Taiji for a few days when he climbed the statue of a harpooner at the Whale Museum park. He was found hanging from the harpoon, causing it to bend. He has been removed from the campaign.
Yesterday, the equipment was returned but computers had been tampered with and were unusable.
The public hearing for the 18 beluga whales who will potentially be imported from Russia to the United States was held in Maryland last week. Ric O'Barry was there to present the following talking points. I looked for an outcome, but so far have not heard anything. I will report it here as soon as I do.
I'll leave you today with a great video of the Humane Society of the United States' marine scientist Naomi Rose, David Kirby - author of "Death at Sea World" and three former Sea World trainers observing wild orcas in Puget Sound.
David and Naomi are going to be in Orlando next Tuesday for a book reading/signing and I am planning to attend. Stay tuned next Whale Wednesday for a full report!
Nice whale story. The whale and dolphins stories are always sad. Glad there are those speaking out against some of the travesty against them!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear no dolphin killings for a while.
ReplyDeleteThat's so sad.. You know there's so many different industries and I get that they're trying to make a living too but the industries that have to kill these innocent creatures just to make ends meat.. I hate it.. It's just so sad.. but that's a good thing, no whale killings in 18 days!!! That's a step up!
ReplyDeleteA thought provoking film, Heather. The orcas are beautiful in the wild.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather,
ReplyDeleteA video to make you think. I for one, deplore the stress endured by our magnificent friends from the deep. I felt much sadness for them when I saw whales on display at the aquarium. I felt much wonder and awe when I've seen the orca in its natural habitat.
May you have a peaceful weekend.
Gary
Hi Heather, very thought-provoking video. Thank you for bringing attention to orcas!
ReplyDeleteWonderful video, broke my heart to think of such beautiful creatures in captivity for an entire life time. 'Retirement is death' -- very thought provoking. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteHow does it change when the bottom line is all that matters? Watching a union coal miner rep. on TV today who claimed that coal wasn't causing health concerns for the people living in the coal/steel towns of WV, made me want to scream.
Money, fast money, easy money, any money. How do you combat that kind of thinking for all the worlds creatures, human and animal.
Leaves me feeling broken in more ways than one!
It breaks my heart what some people do to animals. Maybe some day these killings will stop altogether.
ReplyDeleteThe horror of this is overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the dolphin killing stop permanently!
ReplyDelete