Japan To Kill Humpback Whales Whales Beloved by Millions
Japan has announced plans to expand its pseudo-scientific
whaling to include humpback whales and finbacks in the
South Pacific, despite a torrent of international protest.
98% of Antarctic Humpbacks have already been wiped
out by whaling.
The whales Japan is setting out to hunt are highly endangered
and are individually known in the countries they visit
during winter.
Scientists have identified them individually and
millions of tourists have marveled at them. Now
these whales are threatened with a hideously cruel death
by harpoon.
Humpbacks that visit Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia,
Tonga, Samoa and South Africa in the winter migrate to
the Antarctic in the summer to feed. It is here that
the Japanese intend to hunt theses magnificent creatures.
The Japanese will not be killing random animals,
but ones who are known and loved by many people.
Whale watching has become a $1 billion industry attracting
over 9 million participants within 87 countries and territories
worldwide.
Whale watching in areas of the southern hemisphere,
particularly Australia and New Zealand, have attracted
a massive amount of viewers and tourists in recent years.
Economically, in Sydney, Australia alone, the business
has made a significant positive impact, as the Sydney operations
are now valued at over $2,900,000. Whale and dolphin
watching contributes close to $120 million to the New Zealand
economy.
This is an outrage without parallel. The nation that
allows the unspeakable slaughter of thousands of dolphins,
that has helped reduce whale populations to tiny fractions
of their former numbers, will now hunt humpback and fin
whales.
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