Background

The annual slaughter of dolphins at Taiji was virtually unknown until the film and photographs that Sea Shepherd released in October 2003 made headlines around the world. Subsequently, the fishermen erected barricades to hide their bloody slaughter from cameras. One of the members of that 2003 Sea Shepherd crew was Ric OBarry. He returned in 2004 and every year after, to do what he could to oppose the killing. Louis Psihoyos partnered up with Ric OBarry to find a way around the barricades and the result was the making of The Cove, the academy award-winning film that has embarrassed Japanese society before international audiences.

Dolphins Are Not Fish

Dolphins breathe air just as we do. Dolphins have lungs and do not have gills like fish. Dolphins are warm-blooded and give birth to live young. Fish are cold blooded and lay eggs. Dolphin calves are fed mothers milk, just like humans. Dolphins have complex feelings, emotions and are self-aware; fish do not have these characteristics.

JAPAN DOLPHINS DAY

Information compiled from:

ceta-base.com seashepherd.org savejapandolphins.org savemistythedolphin.blogspot.com eyesontaiji.org

Dolphins in Captivity
A live dolphin captured for a marine park show can fetch up to $150,000. A dolphin killed for meat draws about $600. Captures are potentially fatal for both the dolphins destined for captivity as well as the rest of the pod. Remaining pod members may be injured or killed. Captive dolphins suffer from boredom, isolation and depression. They are unable to interact socially, swim the depths and distances required for healthy muscle development or enjoy a varied and healthy diet. Despite the threats in the open ocean, a wild dolphin can live up to 45 years. In captivity, the average lifespan is 5.3 years.

September 1, 2012 is the start of the Taiji Dolphin Hunt. During the 2011-2012 drive hunt, a total of 848 dolphins from eight species were driven into The Cove in Taiji, Japan. Of this total 719 were killed, 48 were released, 51 were livecapture and 5 have an unknown status. Today we rally together at Japanese Embassies and Consulates around the globe to share a message of solidarity:
http://www.thecovemovie.com/

JAPAN, LET THE DOLPHINS LIVE & BE FREE!!!

Species at Risk

Dolphins and whales in the wild are worth more alive than dead. Captivity kills! Dont buy a ticket to a dolphinarium. We support the Japanese peoples right to know about contamination of dolphin and whale meat, so our concerns include the welfare of the people of Japan, whom we dont want to eat meat laced with mercury and radioactivity. Japan can rebuild its damaged economy using eco-tourism and green policies rather than perpetuating the dolphin hunts of the past. Many Japanese don't know about the drive fishery killing of dolphins and actually oppose it when they understand what is happening. Tourism is a major industry in Japan, and most of Japan, which is unaffected by the tsunami's devastating impact on Japan's northeast coast, welcomes visitors, including many new and growing whaleand dolphin-watching operations.

The Japanese fishermen are indiscriminate. They kill any species that approaches the coast. Sea Shepherd crews have witnessed the killing of:

WRITE: Send a letter, e-mail, and/or fax to the Prime Minister of Japan, the Minister of Fisheries, your local embassy or consulate and other Japanese officials to let them know that this slaughter is unacceptable. Please be polite!! PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Cabinet Office, Government of Japan 1-6-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8914 Tel. 03-5253-2111 (main switchboard) Website: http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/indexe.html Online comment form #1: https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/ comment_ssl.html Online comment form #2: https://form.cao.go.jp/kokusai/en_opini on-0001.html MINISTER OF FISHERIES Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Akira Gunji 1-2-1 Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. 100-8950 JAPAN Tel: +81-3-3502-8111 Fax: +81-3-3502-8220 Website: http://www.gunji-akira.com/ http://www.maff.go.jp/e/index.html Contact form: https://www.contact.maff.go.jp/maff/for m/114e.html

Striped dolphins Bottlenose dolphins Pilot whales* False killer whales Melon-headed whales

This is not a complete list. They kill any species that approaches the coast including those listed above and Risso dolphins.

*Killing pilot whales violates Japan's treaty obligations to the International Whaling Commission.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP STOP THE SLAUGHTER

TAKE ACTION! There are many things you can do to help save the whales and dolphins of Japan. Please join us in our continuing efforts to end this slaughter.