Taiji's Annual Dolphin Slaughter Has Started: Why it Must End For Good
By Rosemary Ellis
Photos by Kunito Seko
Breaking News: Yesterday, a large pod of bottlenose dolphins, estimated at 60-70 animals including babies, was herded into the notorious Cove in Taiji. The dolphins are being held until trainers from aquariums can come in and pick out “show quality” dolphins for a miserable life in captivity, which usually takes 1-2 days. Some may be slaughtered for meat, especially if they die during the hectic sorting and stress of capture. The bulk will likely be released alive and herded back out to sea – a traumatized bunch of animals. The bottlenose dolphin is one species mentioned in decline by recent research reviewed by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission last May, and they are very valuable as the most sought after dolphin for captivity.
Every year, from September 1st to March 1st, hundreds of dolphins in Taiji, Japan, face a brutal fate — either slaughtered, or captured for a lifetime in marine parks. Last year alone, more than 500 small whales and dolphins fell victim to this cruel hunt, and this year, the quota stands at a staggering 1,824 individuals from nine different species. It's a heart-wrenching reality that must come to an end.
Despite the documentary The Cove shedding light on this issue and raising global attention over a decade ago, Japan’s Fisheries Agency continues to ignore protests while permitting the hunts. The Cove depicted the efforts of the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute to stop the hunts. IMMP remains dedicated to raising awareness, garnering support, and mobilizing funds to end the horrific practice.
Dolphins and whales are not commodities, but sentient beings and fellow inhabitants of our planet, deserving to be left alone. The methods employed in the Taiji dolphin hunt inflict immeasurable suffering and distress on whole pods of cetaceans.
During these dolphin hunts, dolphins’ and small whales’ sensitive hearing is exploited by using a technique, known as the "curtain of noise," by banging on pipes on the pursuit boats, to corner the dolphins into the notorious Cove…Their fate is then sealed.
In a twisted way, the hunters often leave the dolphins trapped in the Cove overnight, allowing them to calm down and making it easier for the hunters and trainers to catch the dolphins that are chosen for life in captivity. After that selection process, the rest of the dolphin family is usually slaughtered for meat. The killing is extremely gruesome and sickening. Hunters drive a metal spike into the dolphins’ necks. It’s supposed to end their lives within seconds, but there have been accounts of it taking more than four minutes. This atrocity takes place in the Cove, shielded from cameras by a network of tarps concealing the beach.
Advocating for an end to the Taiji dolphin slaughter is not an attack on Japanese culture. It's rather a plea to protect sentient life forms. Many individuals within Japan also oppose this practice on ethical and moral grounds. While some argue that the hunts are justified as being a part of Japanese tradition, historical records reveal that the annual slaughter only began locally in 1969, when the Taiji Whale Museum was built. After which, live dolphins caught from local waters became valuable for the newly established captive dolphin entertainment industry. As global citizens, we share a responsibility to safeguard their welfare. The international outcry against the Taiji dolphin hunt reflects our collective moral duty to shield the dolphins and whales from harm.
The Taiji Slaughterhouse: Dead dolphins, killed in the Cove with a spike into their necks, are then brought to the slaughterhouse to be dismembered and packaged for sale to consumers as food. The tarps are meant to prevent photographers from penetrating the grim business. Photo Credit: Kunito Seko
Dolphins have complex social structures, remarkable communication skills, and problem-solving abilities that astonish researchers. Yet, their intelligence is just the tip of the iceberg. They are self-aware beings, capable of experiencing a wide range of emotions, from joy to grief and fear. They form deep bonds within their pods and families and even display acts of altruism toward other species, including humans.
Last May, the Small Cetacean Committee, organized by the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee, shared that several populations of the dolphins and small whales targeted in the Taiji hunt have declined over time, due to hunting. This drop has been so steep that the number of dolphins and whales killed each year is limited, not by catch quotas allowed by the Japanese Fisheries Agency, but by the diminished presence of dolphins and small whales in the area. The Small Cetacean Committee stressed that, “quotas must be drastically reduced to stop further declines of the populations and a much more precautionary management approach is needed.”
Alarmingly, the Japanese Fisheries Agency continues ignoring the science of dolphin depletion, just as they ignored the science of large whale depletion during the heyday of commercial whaling before and after World War II.
It's not just about cruelty and biodiversity loss – there are human health concerns too. IMMP recently tested whale and dolphin meat from last season’s hunts in Taiji, Japan, for mercury, methylmercury, and PCB contamination. All but one sample tested alarmingly high for mercury and PCB contamination, exceeding government health standards. For instance, minke whale heart muscle contained 0.65 mg/kg of mercury and 0.53 mg/kg of methylmercury. Japan's health guidelines consider anything above 0.4 mg/kg for total mercury and 0.3 mg/kg for methylmercury as unsafe. Additionally, PCB levels in most samples were well above Japan's limit of 0.5 mg/kg.
On January 10, 2023, IMMP sent a letter to Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, calling for an end to Japan’s dolphin and whale hunts. It will not come as a surprise that we have received no response.
What You Can Do:
We urge you to join us. Your contributions, both financial and through spreading awareness, are instrumental in our work to end the Taiji dolphin hunts. By making informed choices and advocating for change, each of us can be a force for good. Avoiding dolphin shows and promoting responsible eco-tourism are just some of the ways we can contribute to a brighter future for marine mammals.
Sign our petition, share it far and wide, and pledge not to support captive dolphin shows. Together, we can pressure the Mayor of Taiji and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida to end these senseless hunts.
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Please support the International Marine Mammal Project’s efforts to protect dolphins and whales in Japan. IMMP is tirelessly working to raise awareness, conduct crucial research, and advocate for policy changes. Your support can make a difference. Thank you for your donation!
