Hunters in Japanese Taiji with their prey (2018)

Photo: Sea Shepherd Conservation/ dpa

These are images that are disturbing: Accompanied by protests by animal rights activists, the hunting season for dolphins has begun in Japan. In the whaling town of Taiji, a group of Japanese activists gathered at the bay of the town on Friday – together with the world's best-known opponent of dolphin hunters, the American Richard O'Barry. On banners, they demanded an end to the "slaughter" and the hunt for marine mammals in Taiji. O'Barry has been mobilizing resistance against the goings-on in Taiji for years. Dolphinariums all over the world supported the hunt for the animals by rewarding the hunters for their behavior, O'Barry told the dpa news agency during one of his stays in the whaling town.

Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture is the setting for the Oscar-winning documentary »The Bay«, which made the annual carnage sadly famous.

  • You can watch a trailer for the 2009 documentary with former dolphin trainer O'Barry here:

As soon as hunters have spotted dolphins near the coast of Taiji, they round up the animals in a bay. To do this, the hunters paralyze the dolphins' sense of direction by hammering on metal rods held in the sea. Young, healthy animals are sorted out on behalf of dolphinariums at home and abroad, the remaining marine mammals are slaughtered in a neighboring bay. Animal rights activists recently complained about a rapidly increasing trade in live dolphins.

According to the Japanese non-governmental organization Life Investigation Agency (LIA), at least 1849 animals were killed for meat processing in the last hunting season, which had a catch quota of 527 animals. The number of dolphins and small whales killed has thus decreased significantly compared to previous years due to low demand for the meat, which is often contaminated with toxins. However, according to environmentalists, the export of live animals has become a highly lucrative business for the hunters involved in the hunt.

Iceland also hunts whales

After a halt to whaling in Iceland for several weeks, the hunting of large marine mammals is allowed again under strict conditions. This was announced by the Icelandic Ministry of Food and Fisheries on Thursday. A group of experts has concluded in a report that it is possible to improve fishing methods when hunting large whales. The ministry is therefore of the opinion that by changing the methods, it is possible to contribute to a higher level of animal welfare.

Whalers had hoped that June's moratorium could put a permanent end to Icelandic whaling. "We are deeply disappointed by the Icelandic government's decision to allow whaling again after the temporary stop," said Astrid Fuchs of the whale and dolphin conservation organization WDC. "We will continue to fight until the cruel killing stops."

oka/dpa