Japanese Dolphin Slaughter
By Amelia Staats
For years now, in a little Japanese fishing town called Taiji, a truly treacherous and immoral tragedy has been occurring. The annual dolphin slaughter continues to be the primary source of profit for the town, but the price that is paid in return is truly horrific. With an average on 1500 dolphins, porpoises and whales slaughtered per season, the people involved in this grim business have attempted to keep their cruelty a secret. If more people in Japan and the rest of the world knew what was happening, their murderous business would be over before the next season.
A long time has passed since people began the attempt to reveal what is occurring in this cove, but the fishermen have continued to obstruct the truth. They break cameras; try to provoke people into hitting them in order to get them arrested. Activists have obtained graphic footage of the slaughter, but not enough people have learned about it. If the world knew the truth, this practice could not survive.
The process of getting the dolphin, whale, and porpoise meat is very brutal. Dolphins use sound waves and echoes to navigate underwater. The fishermen make loud sounds that echo under the water making the dolphins think there is something blocking their way out. They believe they are trapped in with no way out because they hear what they think are echoes. This upsetting sound drives them into the cove, and the dolphins are then really trapped in with a net. The fishermen then come into the cove with long, sharp spears and begin the slaughter. They often miss and the dolphins are not killed instantly. Red water can be seen drifting out of the cove, as the cries of the dolphins vanish into a solemn silence. The bodies are then taken to be slaughtered and sold.
After the fishermen finish the cruel slaughter the meat from the dolphins is then sold to grocery stores around Japan as fish meat. Mislabeling is not only illegal, but very dangerous because dolphins have extremely high mercury levels. Different groups have done studies on this “fish” and found unusually high amounts of mercury. Large amounts of mercury can be very hazardous when consumed by a human. The people living in Taiji have mercury levels that are way above average.
This meat gathered from dolphins, porpoises, and whales is also used in school systems. The schools can purchase it for much less, so millions have children have been consuming it as well. An average adult human being can get severely sick if they consume too much mercury. Imagine what it is doing to children. The director of The Cove said “If you’re eating dolphin meat, you’re eating poison.” To a newborn, dolphin meat can cause sensory loss, limb malformation, and it can also be fatal.
There are many organizations attempting to put this cruelty to rest. These efforts will not only save many dolphins and whales, but also help citizens in Japan live longer, healthier lives. Today people are still trying to get the word around in Japan by writing to government officials and the public. It is also important to persuade places that capture and train dolphins for amusement to stop purchasing dolphins from Taiji. If nothing is done this slaughter will again start next season. To help end this tragedy once and for all, the links below contain great ways to get involved.
Resources
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090923f2.html
http://savejapandolphins.blogspot.com/2009/09/taiji-dolphin-slaughter-suspended.html