Save Japan's dolphins

Every year, thousands of dolphins and porpoises are slaughtered by Japanese fishermen in a secret slaughter hidden from public gaze. Although commercial whaling was banned for large whale species in 1986, few people realise that over 20,000 small whales are killed in Japanese waters each year, driving coastal populations to extinction.Dolphins and porpoises are highly sociable, intelligent animals that live in life-long family groups. This is exploited by the ruthless fishermen that kill them, using appallingly cruel methods. In remote fishing villages entire schools of dolphins are driven ashore to secluded bays and trapped overnight with nets blocking their escape. When morning breaks, the sea quickly turns bright red as the terrified dolphins are repeatedly stabbed with spears and knives and then gaffed with steel hooks to drag them aboard the killing boats to die. Some of the traumatised dolphins are captured alive, destined to be sold for profit to the captive dolphin industry worldwide.Meanwhile offshore an even greater massacre is taking place. A small black and white whale, known as the Dall?s porpoise, is pursued by high-speed boats and speared with hand thrown harpoons. Some porpoises are gaffed and hauled aboard to die of shock and blood loss, while others are electrocuted, a slow, agonising death. Around 17,000 Dall?s porpoises are hunted and killed every year in Japan - the single biggest whale slaughter in the world today.A deadly dietDolphins and porpoise meat is heavily polluted with toxic industrial contaminants such as methyl mercury and PCBs. But even though scientists have tested hundreds of meat samples, revealing dolphin meat is unsafe for public consumption, it is now being served in school lunches in Japan! Help save Japan?s dolphinsCampaign Whale, a UK based non-profit organisation is working tirelessly both within and outside Japan to stop the mass slaughter of these ?forgotten? whales and dolphins. They are working hard to expose these cruel hunts to the outside world, as well as alerting the Japanese public to this ongoing tragedy, both to the dolphins and the people that eat them. You can help Campaign Whale end this appalling slaughter. For further information, please visit their website at www.campaign-whale.org. Anna-Lisa NagelCampaign Whale T: 01273 471403 W: www.campaign-whale.org