Dolphin Deaths in Taiji Season 2020-21
By Mark J. Palmer
Official counts by the Taiji Fishermen’s Union and Japanese government report that the total captures and kills of dolphins in the small town of Taiji was 1,010 dolphins during the 2020-21 season, still far less than the official quota of 1,849.
The official records do not report on how many were captured for a miserable life in captivity and how many were slaughtered for meat. All are considered “takes” from the local dolphin populations.
Dolphins were also slaughtered in the north of Japan, where 928 Dall’s porpoises were harpooned for meat, a substantial decline in the thousands of porpoises that were routinely harpooned before the Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 wrecked the northern harbors and boats. Nine dolphins were also captured in Okinawa.
Striped Dolphins: 373
Bottlenose Dolphin: 135 (all captured for captivity)
Spotted Dolphin: 76
Risso’s Dolphin: 167 (some for captivity)
Pacific White-sided Dolphin: 15 (some for captivity)
Pilot Whales: 14
Melon-headed Whales: 230
No false killer whales or rough-toothed dolphins were captured during this season in Taiji.
A dead dolphin floats among the garbage of Taiji harbor. Photo Credit: Kunito Seko.
While some dolphins are released alive from the Cove following the slaughter, these animals are not counted by the government. Yet, their fates may very well lead to deaths at sea from physiological stress or injuries – more than a few dolphins have washed up dead over the years on the shores of Japan. Individual pods, deprived by the hunts of key members, may not be able to forage effectively or migrate. Young dolphins deprived of their mothers may starve.
The dolphin hunts in Japan, like the whaling industry, are a terrible blight on our planet. Dolphins have saved swimmers and sailors in distress at sea. They have befriended humans, and have the largest brains on Earth.
The few countries that allow the killing of whales and dolphins must desist. The death of dolphins diminishes us all, and steps are long overdue to end the slaughters and the inhumane captures of these marvelous marine mammals.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please sign our petition to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida to end whaling and dolphin hunts in Japan.
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We need your support to continue the work of the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute to protect whales and dolphins. Please donate generously to end dolphin hunts and whaling. Thank you!
