Thursday, August 9, 2012

End the Hunt: The Taiji Dolphins


WARNING: There will be a few graphic images in this post, but they are only shown to help you understand why I support this cause so much.

If you've been reading this blog for more than a week, you'll know I dearly love and care for animals of all species. However, a certain Order of animals has been pressing on my heart lately, and that's Cetacea, better known as marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins and porpoises.

We've all seen the Sea World commercials, of trainers swimming with Orca's, and flipping, smiling dolphins. But sadly, the smile of a dolphin is a falsehood.


There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera, and they can range in size from 4 ft and 90 lb (Maui's dolphin), up to 30 ft and 11 tons (the Orca). Dolphins are very social creatures, living in Pods, or family groups. The Pod is mostly made up of mothers and their calves, with a few males. The communication between dolphins is mostly clicks and whistles, which we understand very few of the meanings behind, but they talk to each other at all times, in constant communication, and there have been many noted cases of dolphins clicking to console each other. Being one of the most intelligent creatures on planet Earth, the dolphin has very few natural enemies, and is usually an apex predator in it's ecosystem, until humans step in that is.


Some dolphin species face an uncertain future, especially some river dolphin species such as the Amazon river dolphin, and the Ganges and Yangtze river dolphin, which are critically or seriously endangered. A 2006 survey found no individuals of the Yangtze river dolphin, which now appears to be functionally extinct. Pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and other industrial and agricultural pollutants that do not disintegrate rapidly in the environment concentrate in predators such as dolphins. Injuries or deaths due to collisions with boats, especially their propellers, are also common. Loud underwater noises, such as those resulting from naval sonar use, live firing exercises, or certain offshore construction projects, such as wind farms, may be harmful to dolphins, increasing stress, damaging hearing, and causing decompression sickness by forcing them to surface too quickly to escape the terrifying and deafening noise.


Various fishing methods, most notably purse seine fishing for tuna and the use of drift and gill nets, unintentionally kill many dolphins. Accidental by-catch in gill nets and incidental captures in antipredator nets that protect marine fish farms are common and pose a risk for mainly local dolphin populations. Dolphin safe labels attempt to reassure consumers fish and other marine products have been caught in a dolphin-friendly way. The earliest campaigns with "Dolphin safe" labels were initiated in the 1980s with collusion between marine activists and the major tuna companies, and involved decreasing incidental dolphin kills by up to 50% by changing the type of nets used to catch tuna. The dolphins are netted only while fishermen are in pursuit of smaller tuna. Albacore are not netted this way, making albacore the only truly dolphin-safe tuna.

The most horrifying human act against dolphins though is drive hunting. In some parts of the world, such as Taiji in Japan and the Faroe Islands, dolphins are traditionally considered as food, and are killed in harpoon or drive hunts. In these hunts, dolphins are gathered and driven toward the shore using a chain of boats, once at the shore, these creatures are trapped, and either have their bodies cut open, or are harpooned to death.

Taiji Dolphin Drive

Entire pods will be wiped out every year, thousands of dolphins murdered for their mercury tainted meat and for the sake of tradition. One of the best documentaries I have seen about this horrible act is called The Cove. I will caution you, this is NOT a movie for children, and you will be shocked and in tears in the first 10 minutes. This synopsis of the movie, taken from their website, says: Academy Award® Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, THE COVE follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.

I for one can no longer stay silent, as I saw the aftermath of the Faroe Island Drive yesterday, and the Taiji hunt being only another 23 days away. On September 1st, thousands of dolphins will be driven into that secret cove, they will watch their families murdered, hear their terrified cries for help, and, as shown in the movie, click to each other in their last moments, trying to console each other. Even as I write this, I can't stop myself from crying just thinking about it. Some of the individuals are saved from the slaughter by trainers looking for dolphins for shows, but a life in captivity and servitude is almost no life at all for these amazing animals.

Faroe Island Drive - 8/8/2012

So, I'm going to do what I can to help end the Taiji hunt. Starting today, every plush Dolphin you buy from me, 10% of the proceeds will go to Save Japan Dolphins. Since they cost $10 plus shipping, $1 from each plush will go to help end the slaughter of Dolphins in Taiji. To buy one, please send me an e-mail at Isabella_Grey@Hotmail.com

3D Dolphin Plush 

2D Dolphin Plush


To learn more, please feel free to visit there sites:
http://www.takepart.com/cove
http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
http://www.thecovemovie.com/

I hope you'll join me, and help fight the slaughter!


Love and Lightning Bugs,
Photobucket

18 comments:

From PDX with Love said...

Humans can be so sickening!! It is so unfair what they do to defenseless animals!! For what, extra cash? Lets see how these people like to be hunted down and tortured to death.

Kristyn said...

wow i had no idea that events like this took place. This is absolutely horrible, how can people do such a thing to poor innocent creatures like that. It breaks my heart :(

The Educated Beauty said...

It's so silly, but as a swimmer I sort of feel like dolphins are kindred spirits. The pictures are sickening but you know what? They don't begin to do the horrors justice (nothing could but being there, although this is a GREAT start). Thank you for raising awareness of this topic.

Vera said...

Thanks for making me aware of all this. What you are doing is amazing!

Unknown said...

This is heartbreaking.

johnsmom said...

How horrifying! Thank you so much for making others aware and helping

Couponing for Freebies said...

I watched the video on this. It is awful what people do to these beautiful animals. I am not against killing a animal if you are in need of food but this is way beyond that. I hope you can get some support on this!

Amber Trievel said...

OMG I am sitting here crying after reading this! And I really mean that =[ This is so horrible. I can not begin to understand why we as humans feel the need to destroy everything and anything. It is sickening.

Holly (Woman Tribune) said...

Well, this post made me cry. I am also a huge animal lover and it really sickens me what humans do to animals just because they think they can or have the right to. We live in a very small town where down one block there are miles of woods and up the other there are miles of farms. Whenever we drive through these areas and see construction happening I always get really sad because so few people appreciate all of the nature happening around us and don't see that nature, and all of the things in it, are necessary for our own survival and quality of life. We don't have the right to go in and destroy the homes of animals or put the lives of animals in danger. Just because we can doesn't mean we should. We don't have that right.

Unknown said...

I was crying writing it. I creid through the entire movie...and when the mother dolphin was clicking to her calf, trying to tell him it's ok...I had a break-down.

Lil' Daily Deals said...

I can't imagine. I am an animal lover as well and this makes me sick. Thank you for helping. I truly hope they put a stop to this!

Finamoon said...

This is so awful! It sickens me what some people can do to harm other animals or others.

LOVE MELISSA:) said...

That is horrible. I can't even imagine! It sickens me!!!!!

Unknown said...

Horrible and heartbreaking =[

DeDa Studios said...

Terrible! So Sad! I am sharing your post on all the medias!

Bertha Brown said...

This is very sad these beautiful mammals have to go through this. Such a horrible thing to do to them.

Unknown said...

This just breaks my heart. I know that they use dolphins as a source or food, but it is a sham to destroy these beautiful creatures like this. It just breaks my heart.

Coupons and Friends said...

This makes me want to cry, maybe it's something these people feel is okay and they have grown accustomed to but, it is something I will never understand.