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The very brutal selection process is finally over - Taiji, Japan - 3
November 2 - 3, 2017 – Bottlenose Dolphins Captivity – Taiji, Japan
The first pod of bottlenose dolphins for this season has been driven into the Cove.
Once the dolphins were netted into the Cove, the dolphin hunters left and the Cove was eerily quiet. No skiffs came back and it was clear this family pod would be left overnight.
The connection between the lucrative captive industry and the dolphin slaughters that take place in Taiji couldn’t be more obvious. Hunters and trainers work side-by-side, selecting which animals will be chosen for “life” in captivity, and those which will be killed. Trainers have often been observed joking with hunters while suffering mammals lose their lives.
Our team counted 41 dolphins – 25 more than their initial estimate. Held overnight with no access to food or water, the mammals were nervous; swimming tightly together, their breathing rapid. In the meantime, four hunting boats set off in search of even more migrating dolphins.
Shortly thereafter, skiffs began arriving, filled with divers and trainers. Captive selection would soon begin. And even though this tragic scene has played out over and over during past drives, one is never prepared for such violence – and suffering.
The selection process was brutal. Dolphins, splashing and tail slapping, were forced towards the beach. Divers jumped on the youngest and least-blemished mammals first, and at one point, our team observed five divers wrestling with one dolphin, dragging it towards a skiff where it was wrapped up in a net and restrained.
The dolphins were in a state of panic. They swam closely together, at times, appearing to swim on top of one another. They became aggressive, charging against the rocks or nets in attempts to free themselves. And divers did nothing, seemingly unconcerned about their potential for injury. Many animals were observed bleeding. Once again, hunters and trainers shouted and laughed throughout the dolphins’ suffering.
When it was all over, 17 dolphins lost their freedom, two calves amongst the group selected for captivity. The remaining pod members (approximately 24) were driven back out to sea. Many injuries were observed on those that were released.
Terrorized, manhandled and injured – all so orders can be filled for aquariums and marine parks throughout the world. With a quota of 414 bottlenose dolphins for the 2017/18 season, many more dolphins might suffer a similar fate. Once again, the connection between the captive industry and the dolphin slaughters that take place in Taiji cannot be overstated. The key is to decrease the demand for performing dolphins, and the easiest way to do this is for people to STOP BUYING tickets to dolphin shows.
Credit: DolphinProject.com
The very brutal selection process is finally over - Taiji, Japan - 3
November 2 - 3, 2017 – Bottlenose Dolphins Captivity – Taiji, Japan
The first pod of bottlenose dolphins for this season has been driven into the Cove.
Once the dolphins were netted into the Cove, the dolphin hunters left and the Cove was eerily quiet. No skiffs came back and it was clear this family pod would be left overnight.
The connection between the lucrative captive industry and the dolphin slaughters that take place in Taiji couldn’t be more obvious. Hunters and trainers work side-by-side, selecting which animals will be chosen for “life” in captivity, and those which will be killed. Trainers have often been observed joking with hunters while suffering mammals lose their lives.
Our team counted 41 dolphins – 25 more than their initial estimate. Held overnight with no access to food or water, the mammals were nervous; swimming tightly together, their breathing rapid. In the meantime, four hunting boats set off in search of even more migrating dolphins.
Shortly thereafter, skiffs began arriving, filled with divers and trainers. Captive selection would soon begin. And even though this tragic scene has played out over and over during past drives, one is never prepared for such violence – and suffering.
The selection process was brutal. Dolphins, splashing and tail slapping, were forced towards the beach. Divers jumped on the youngest and least-blemished mammals first, and at one point, our team observed five divers wrestling with one dolphin, dragging it towards a skiff where it was wrapped up in a net and restrained.
The dolphins were in a state of panic. They swam closely together, at times, appearing to swim on top of one another. They became aggressive, charging against the rocks or nets in attempts to free themselves. And divers did nothing, seemingly unconcerned about their potential for injury. Many animals were observed bleeding. Once again, hunters and trainers shouted and laughed throughout the dolphins’ suffering.
When it was all over, 17 dolphins lost their freedom, two calves amongst the group selected for captivity. The remaining pod members (approximately 24) were driven back out to sea. Many injuries were observed on those that were released.
Terrorized, manhandled and injured – all so orders can be filled for aquariums and marine parks throughout the world. With a quota of 414 bottlenose dolphins for the 2017/18 season, many more dolphins might suffer a similar fate. Once again, the connection between the captive industry and the dolphin slaughters that take place in Taiji cannot be overstated. The key is to decrease the demand for performing dolphins, and the easiest way to do this is for people to STOP BUYING tickets to dolphin shows.
Credit: DolphinProject.com