Dolphin Massacre

The Cove sent shockwaves around the world in 2009, revealing the brutal and heartless slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. Haunting images of blood-stained waters and ruthless fishermen stabbing their captive prey left audiences aghast. The Academy Award winning exposé was produced by the Oceanic Preservation Society, a Colorado-based group that promotes marine conservation and environmentalism. Their covert operation lifted the lid on how 20,000 Bottlenose dolphins are cruelly herded into lagoons every year, where the more charismatic can be auctioned off for upwards of $200,000 to international marine parks. The OPS state: “After the trainers and spectators have left, the rest of the dolphins are inhumanely killed in what can only be described as a massacre … The butchered dolphins are later used for food, but the Japanese government has intentionally sheltered people from the dangers of eating them.” The documentary centred on Ric O’Barry’s dedicated journey to both protect dolphins in the wild and free those forced to perform in dolphinariums; a multi-billion dollar industry he, unfortunately, helped popularise with his work on the ‘60s TV hit Flipper. Ric O'Barry Indeed, the pivotal moment in O’Barry’s life came when Kathy, one of the Flipper dolphins, is said to have committed suicide in his arms, unable to cope with the stresses of her imprisonment. Decades on and still racked with overwhelming guilt, the activist has since made it his mission to stop the killing of dolphins and to end the trafficking in live dolphins to theme parks. The film’s success has opened many doors for his cause, as O’Barry notes on his blog: “Before The Cove came out, I was beating down the doors of media in Japan begging them to cover the story. After The Cove, they met me at the airport and followed us to almost every location. Our press conference was attended by over 100 media representatives, including every major broadcast outlet. “We still have a lot of work to do, but the secret is now out!” Aside from highlighting the deplorable animal abuse, The Cove also publicised the serious threats that mercury-laced dolphin meat could pose to human health. High levels of toxin are found in the animals, owing to chemical waste littering the seas, and consumption could lead to severe brain damage. Since its release, the film has been responsible for the removal of dolphin meat from Japanese school dinners, yet the vast majority of Japanese people are still sheltered from the slaughter and are completely unaware that much of the meat they purchase is actually mislabeled dolphin meat. The OPS claim: “While the Japanese government defends dolphin hunting as part of their cultural heritage, this tradition has serious health effects on its own people.” Nearly 2 million people have signed an international petition to end the hunting; however, 1 September heralded the start of a six-month ‘dolphin-drive’ season in Taiji. Stirred by the film, protestors from all over the globe descended on the small harbour town to create a ‘media circus.’ Campaigner, Laura Bridgeman commented: “When we reached the pebbled shore of the cove, I let the waves wash over my feet for a moment. I shuddered to think of the blood spilled here each year and which would be again shortly … The waves and wind, together with the click and flash of the media’s cameras, were the only sounds to be heard. “Later, as we were leaving a restaurant after an authentic and delicious Japanese meal, we were approached by two locals who recognized us from the evening news. These Japanese people, a mother and a daughter, told us that they had been unaware of the dolphin killing in Taiji, and that they were happy we were there. The daughter loved dolphins, and she did not want to see them hurt.” Elsewhere, YAHOO! News reported how demonstrators gathered outside Japanese embassies in Washington, London, Stockholm, Rome and Manila, demanding an end to the ‘wantonly cruel’ hunts. Katie Arth, of animal rights group PETA, suggested: “People can do something by just not going anywhere where dolphins perform and by contacting their embassy.” Having been recently spellbound by both the BBC’s Natural World and Ocean Giants series, it is hard to believe that the human race can be quite so callous to these intriguing and intelligent creatures. It has been proven that they are self-aware and are capable of human-like emotions, with intricate communication skills and an ability to learn from one another. It may sound a cliché but … dolphins are amazing. This makes witnessing the atrocities of Taiji such a shattering experience that resonates with so many. Ric O’Barry notes: “Although the killing of bottlenose dolphins – the primary target species – has dramatically decreased compared to previous seasons, they, along with other dolphin species, including many pilot whales and Risso’s dolphins, continue to be captured for aquariums and slaughtered for meat by the Taiji fishermen. The fight for the protection of all marine mammals goes on