2012 Taiji Dolphin Slaughter: A Hunting Season in Review

Since 2004, fewer and fewer dolphins have died each year at the deadly 'Cove'.

By Salvatore Cardoni

March 2, 2012

3 comments

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Cove star Ric O’Barry protesting and holding two stop signs

A Look Back

The 2011-2012 dolphin drive-hunting season in Taiji, Japan, is over—a full four weeks sooner than expected.

Save Japan Dolphins is reporting that between 726 and 786 dolphins were killed this season, roughly 400 fewer than last season, when the kill count was 1,190. In the 2009-2010 season, 1,336 dolphins died. In 2008-2009, 1,484 lost their lives.

The pattern is clear—fewer and fewer dolphins are dying each year.

Ric O’Barry’s message—and the countless couriers that deliver it each day, both on the ground in the infamous Cove and across the planet in blogs and on social media—is having a demonstrable effect.

“Due to our relentless campaign of educating the Japanese people about the dangers of eating mercury-contaminated dolphin meat, the demand for such meat is way down in Japan,” wrote O’Barry.

Here is a snapshot accounting of the highs and lows of the 2011-2012 killing season.

(Photo: AFP Stringer/Getty Images)

Ric O’Barry Detained by Japanese Immigration Officials

On August 26, 2011—six days before the scheduled September 1 start of the drive-hunting season—Cove star Ric O’Barry arrived in Tokyo and was immediately detained by immigration officials and questioned for several hours. “I was a bit concerned they would not let me into the country, but they finally let me go, and I made it to my hotel,” he said to the Associated Press. The 2011-2012 drive hunt would be the seventh that O’Barry would protest in person on the ground in Taiji.

(Photo: Yoshikazau Tsuno / Getty Images)

Praying for Cetacean Souls on Cove Shores

While choppy seas from the rapidly advancing Typhoon Talas prevented fishermen from butchering any dolphins, O’Barry and two dozen people from nine countries proceeded on September 1 with a planned peaceful prayer vigil for the souls of the dolphins that would die this year in the deadly inlet. “With the rain pouring down, we made a circle and bowed our heads for a moment of silent prayer,” wrote O’Barry, Save Japan Dolphins.

(Photo: Save Japan Dolphins)

Global Protestors to Taiji Fishermen: Enough Already!

And So It Begins

Season’s First Big Kill

Major Statement in the Big Apple

O’Barry Debuts New Slaughter-Stopping Tool: His iPad

Raising a Caution Flag on Cove Killings

‘Awful, Unbearable, Heartbreaking, Unfair, Stupid’

Hong Kong Airlines Picks Decency Over Profit

Over Early

Topics

Wildlife, dolphins, Taiji, Japan, Ric O'Barry, The Cove, Dolphin Hunting

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Comments

sinceramente es tremendo lo que sucede! lo veo y no lo puedo creer.. me siento indignada y con mucha impotencia. me hacen sentir orgullosa de lo que hacen y espero que al terminar mis estudios universitarios pueda llegar a ser como ustedes, quiero ser una gran biologa marina y poder proteger a estos grandes animales ya que son mis animales favoritos! gracias por hacer algo por ellos =)

Deeby Perea

posted on Mar 9, 2012

we must do something

tntcrazy

posted on Mar 3, 2012

today， when i unconsciously find and watched the film "the cove",i was deeply shocked.it makes me know that we do something wrong with this beautiful animal.suport you,we can do mor. writed by jay zou from cpu,jiangsu,china 2011-03-03

一毫米温度