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Terror in The Cove as Pilot Whales Slaughtered - Taiji, Japan
September 28, 2017 - Pilot Whales Slaughter - Taiji, Japan
The morning of September 27 started out the same as so many others, with a parade of banger boats leaving the harbor in search of migrating dolphin pods. About 6:50 a.m., we saw the dreaded formation, meaning a pod of dolphins had been found. As the pod got closer, we saw the distinctive black hooked dorsal fins, characteristic of pilot whales.
Pilot whales have some of the tightest social bonds among dolphins, and it was very evident. The pod was packed tightly together, seeking comfort from one another. Cries from stressed pilot whales could be heard. Later, the skies turned gray and it began to rain. It was clear the hunters were leaving this family overnight. Floodlights were turned on, and police stayed on guard as the pilot whales moved to the very outer edges of the nets.
As the sun began to rise, the familiar sound of skiffs approaching the cove could be heard. Preparations for slaughter were made quickly, with tarps used to hide the killing pulled out and over the killing beach. Divers jumped into the water, and skiffs were turned around so they could use the engines to terrorize the pilot whales, and move them towards the beach.
The hunters pushed the entire pod into the killing area, choosing the larger adults to be pushed under the tarps and slaughtered. The pilot whales began to panic, thrashing against the yellow tarps and rocks. There is a space between the net and the rocks, (on the other side of the net) that pilot whales always seem to find. Their absolute panic was blatantly evident as they thrashed in the shallow water, and up against the rocks. One pilot whale got rolled up inside the tarp, struggling to breathe and free itself. Divers finally came over and untangled the petrified pilot whale.
Once all the chosen victims were under the tarps, the killing commenced. While tarps may cover the actual killing, nothing can silence the sounds of dying dolphins. In this instance, the thrashing was quite loud as pilot whales struggled to take their last breaths while mercilessly having metal rods driven through their spinal cords. In the meantime, those not selected for slaughter were left in the killing area to witness the suffering and deaths of their family members, swimming in the blood of the fallen.
Dolphin hunters, at one point, were forced to push the survivors away from the killing area as these dolphins wanted to get nearer to their slaughtered family. As skiffs were turned around, a few were hit with their engines. But as no net was drawn to separate them from the killing area, slowly, they made their way back. When dolphin hunters began removing the bodies of the dead, the survivors watched this, too. Panic ensued once again, as pilot whales were seen thrashing against the rocks, and another dolphin became entangled in the tarp. Again, hunters pushed the survivors away from the killing area, and once more, engines seemed to run right into the pilots.
As the hunters continued to remove bodies, the surviving pod members huddled together. Distress calls could be heard as they spy hopped and looked into the killing area. We saw them rubbing against each other, as if seeking comfort. And then the cove fell silent.
In the end, 10 pilot whales were killed, with one ‘incidental’ death for a total of 11, and 24 dolphins were released. Despite the tragedy that had unfolded over these two days, as they headed to the open ocean, we were filled with hope. Not all the dolphins released were juveniles, and we hoped that one of the older, larger pilot whales would emerge as a leader, guiding the rest of the pod to safety and survival. Collectively, we need to educate others on their plight. As the demand for captive dolphins declines, so will their slaughters. Please continue to follow us on our social media as we bring the atrocities committed in Taiji to the rest of the world.
TAKE ACTION: dolphin.fyi/HelpJapanDolphins
LETS PROTECT WHALES AND DOLPHINS TOGETHER !!!
Credit: DolphinProject.com
Terror in The Cove as Pilot Whales Slaughtered - Taiji, Japan
September 28, 2017 - Pilot Whales Slaughter - Taiji, Japan
The morning of September 27 started out the same as so many others, with a parade of banger boats leaving the harbor in search of migrating dolphin pods. About 6:50 a.m., we saw the dreaded formation, meaning a pod of dolphins had been found. As the pod got closer, we saw the distinctive black hooked dorsal fins, characteristic of pilot whales.
Pilot whales have some of the tightest social bonds among dolphins, and it was very evident. The pod was packed tightly together, seeking comfort from one another. Cries from stressed pilot whales could be heard. Later, the skies turned gray and it began to rain. It was clear the hunters were leaving this family overnight. Floodlights were turned on, and police stayed on guard as the pilot whales moved to the very outer edges of the nets.
As the sun began to rise, the familiar sound of skiffs approaching the cove could be heard. Preparations for slaughter were made quickly, with tarps used to hide the killing pulled out and over the killing beach. Divers jumped into the water, and skiffs were turned around so they could use the engines to terrorize the pilot whales, and move them towards the beach.
The hunters pushed the entire pod into the killing area, choosing the larger adults to be pushed under the tarps and slaughtered. The pilot whales began to panic, thrashing against the yellow tarps and rocks. There is a space between the net and the rocks, (on the other side of the net) that pilot whales always seem to find. Their absolute panic was blatantly evident as they thrashed in the shallow water, and up against the rocks. One pilot whale got rolled up inside the tarp, struggling to breathe and free itself. Divers finally came over and untangled the petrified pilot whale.
Once all the chosen victims were under the tarps, the killing commenced. While tarps may cover the actual killing, nothing can silence the sounds of dying dolphins. In this instance, the thrashing was quite loud as pilot whales struggled to take their last breaths while mercilessly having metal rods driven through their spinal cords. In the meantime, those not selected for slaughter were left in the killing area to witness the suffering and deaths of their family members, swimming in the blood of the fallen.
Dolphin hunters, at one point, were forced to push the survivors away from the killing area as these dolphins wanted to get nearer to their slaughtered family. As skiffs were turned around, a few were hit with their engines. But as no net was drawn to separate them from the killing area, slowly, they made their way back. When dolphin hunters began removing the bodies of the dead, the survivors watched this, too. Panic ensued once again, as pilot whales were seen thrashing against the rocks, and another dolphin became entangled in the tarp. Again, hunters pushed the survivors away from the killing area, and once more, engines seemed to run right into the pilots.
As the hunters continued to remove bodies, the surviving pod members huddled together. Distress calls could be heard as they spy hopped and looked into the killing area. We saw them rubbing against each other, as if seeking comfort. And then the cove fell silent.
In the end, 10 pilot whales were killed, with one ‘incidental’ death for a total of 11, and 24 dolphins were released. Despite the tragedy that had unfolded over these two days, as they headed to the open ocean, we were filled with hope. Not all the dolphins released were juveniles, and we hoped that one of the older, larger pilot whales would emerge as a leader, guiding the rest of the pod to safety and survival. Collectively, we need to educate others on their plight. As the demand for captive dolphins declines, so will their slaughters. Please continue to follow us on our social media as we bring the atrocities committed in Taiji to the rest of the world.
TAKE ACTION: dolphin.fyi/HelpJapanDolphins
LETS PROTECT WHALES AND DOLPHINS TOGETHER !!!
Credit: DolphinProject.com