I feel sick

[matt]

Anyone see that truly disturbing report on TV tonight about dolphin culling in Jaiji in Japan?

Here's a report in the West Australian.

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=112309

This really doesn't do justice to the horror of what they're doing, or how truly disturbing the footage was.

I'm not a 'feral' greenie or rabid tree-hugger by any measure, and I've seen some rank things in my time....but fair dinkum, this was crook:mad2:

And they don't even try and pass this off as 'scientific' research, as they do with the shameful whale hunting.

Just appalling.

I know there'll most likely be some attempt in this thread to justify it on 'cultural' grounds, but do yourself a favour and have a look at the footage before you post, if you can.

[mick pinner]

l completely agree Matt, and this is why my opinion of the human race when it comes to animal abuse is very very low. countries around the world should condemn this for the butchery it is and impose harsh sanctions on Japan until such actions cease completely.

[leon]

Well I could respond to your post Matt, and trust me, I do agree, but I'm sure I would be banned from this site for life. :sadeyes:

It is bloody disgusting.:mad2: :mad2:

Leon :thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

Think good thoughts even when presented with horror.
alex

[matt]

I did Alex.........for the dolphins.

Though it was sometimes hard to think over the blood-curdling sound of their screams.

Your really have to see and hear this footage.

[jungle11]

Its horrible, call me a wuss but it brings tears to the eye.

Perhaps we cannot immediately do something about it but I hope we stick up for ourselves if they are in our waters again this season hunting whales. The ban that was implemented 20 odd years ago is useless. Norway kills as many whales per annum as Japan - and they don't hide the reason at all.

[Octane]

Matt,

Is this the video where the calves are separated from their mothers because of the confusion caused by the fishermen banging steel rods on the side of their boats and onto whatever is on the ground under the water? Afterwards, they are slaughtered and there's school kids walking past the whole spectacle. If so, I saw the video on gumbert, and, it made me feel terrible, too.

The dolphins don't die immediately; the manner in which they're slaughtered ensures they are alive for several minutes throughout the ordeal.

The meat was then being sold marketed as whale meat.

Appalling, no matter which way we look at it.

Regards,
Humayun

[mcross]

Yeah - I've followed this over the last few years...

It is very sad. I have been blessed to have wild dolphins swim with me in the ocean. They are amazing creatures when you learn about them...

:( Mark

[matt]

Hi Humayan.

It's possibly the same video. I'm waiting for Channel 7 to upload it to their website.

Your description sounds similar. The dolphins are 'herded' into a shallow cove where fishermen (if you can call them that) work with nets and spears and repeatedly stab them until they are seriously wounded or dead.

They are then taken into a smaller enclosure (hidden under green tarpaulin-type covers, funnily enough) where the slaughter occurs.

The sight of them herded that way to meet such brutal and hideous deaths just left me speechless...and I have to say for a moment I felt true enmity.

I also felt a keen sense of shame.

[Ian Robinson]

Bet the meat will wind up in the fish markets and in Japanese restraunts after the "cull".

Well - at least this time they are doing this in their own waters not in someone elses (as "scientific" harvesting).

[Ric]

I find this very disturbing and sad that this type of thing still continues along with the killing of whales, baby seals and other acts of cruelty perpetrated by so called civilised people on defenceless animals. :mad2:

One day we'll learn to live with nature and not destroy it.

Like Leon I'll leave it at that before I type something I'll regret.

[Jen]

:sadeyes: that is so sad i really love dolphins :(:(:(

[GrahamL]

Nothing scientific about this ,they don't even can the meat like with the whales,,the worldwide scrutiny this is rightly getting over recent years is a good thing.

[Liz]

I also saw it on the telly last night, and was horrified at what they were doing .... in this supposedly 'advanced' day and age. Very sad :sad::sad::sad:

[AstralTraveller]

Matt,

Thanks for raising the issue, people need to be aware that such things are happening. But I couldn't look at such footage. The description on this thread has been quite enough for me - I'm sobbing as I type. I'll have to look at APOD or something cheerful to compose myself.

[JimmyH155]

AstralTraveller, I'm like you, I can't bring myself to look. The descriptions on the thread are enough. If you want a vote, then count me in. A few weeks ago on the surf side of Bribie Island, we were treated to a wonderful spectacle of about a dozen dolphins all working as a team, catching their food. They were no more than 10 metres from the shore and on a few occasions, came so close you could see their faces. Everyone on the beach was enthralled. and fell in love with them.
How many of those disgusting killers come on holiday to Oz and go to SeaWorld to show their kids what dolphins are.
How can our human race be so abominable?

[Kevnool]

I,m with you on this one Leon, I saw the episode on that night and the mayor of Broome sticking up for his beloved sister city wont do a darn thing about it,believing its a culture thing. If anyone wants to do anything about it send a email to the mayor of broome and see if he replies. Kev.

[xelasnave]

So if a culture "eats" their young we must accept it... never.
alex

[xelasnave]

Mind you as we point the finger we could look to the cruelty in our agriculture that sees battery hens and pigs treated so badly.
alex

[matt]

A fair point Alex...but then we have to ask ourselves do two (or more) wrongs make a right?

No that I want to base any of this on a sentient 'hierarchy'...but it somehow feels worse when one sees this sort of behaviour meted out to such highly intelligent creatures.

[xelasnave]

I agree and that is why I find it difficult to accept that we sadly overlook the many highly inteligent creatures (humans) that suffer often and via preventable actions of other humans.

Cruelty is common place all around the world and we accept most of it without a realisation that these cruel things are with us and need attention.

I makes me wonder what is the game when folk are so concerned with "global warming" and yet there are so many immediate problems that go unrecognised ...slavery is common world wide yet ask anyone and they will tell you slavery was abolished after the American civil war...well sadly that is not the case but that view is convenience and lets folk moralise on stuff in the future such that they can create an industry dealing with hypotheticals so as to avoid the current realities of the world that attention may well fix.

All creatures deserve respect..inteligent or on our estimate..not inteligent...even if they irritate you they deserve respect. Our inteligence should not let us look down on other creatures it should enable us to enjoy compassion and kindness.

alex
alex

[jungle11]

That's got alot to do with it, i think. Dolphins are smart and curious and playful - they don't fear us. It's like walloping the beloved family dog. The thing that upset me the most about that video was that they were killed mercilessly - just stabbed and left to bleed out. Only humans could justify something like that as 'tradition'
:mad2::mad2::mad2:

[xelasnave]

Bleeding out like drowning is not a bad way to go... ask someone who has slashed their wrists.
I was horrified at a Aboriginal "cookout" when they placed the live turtles upside down and very much alive on the coals...they really must go thru agony with the slow cooking style.
Funny as they were preparing the cook told a whitey to place the porky pine in the Sun...the whitey asked why.. looking for a mysterious answer as to how that helped...but was met with...to thaw the bloody thing out of course.

alex

[matt]

Alex.

I appreciate your comments, and attempts to broaden the scope of this discussion.

But, with all due respect, this really is about a very specific and utterly cruel practice which was detailed within the first few posts.

As I pointed out earlier, you really do need to see this footage before drawing such wide-sweeping parallels or making generalisations, as true as many of those are.

These creatures were not 'bled' in a calm and passive manner as you describe, as not being such a 'bad way to go'.

Have a look at the footage, mate. Have a look. Lest ye look like ye don't know what you're talkin' aboot!!!;)

[xelasnave]

Matt I take your point and to identify my position I think the practice is disgraceful.
alex

[matt]

No worries, mate.:thumbsup:

[KenGee]

Dare I say he who cast the stone. Catching any wild animal for slaughter is quite a shocking event to watch. I can see nothing special about cetaceans in that respect. Don’t get me wrong I’m a animal lover , I marched in support of a international ban on whaling. But we allow other marine creatures to die in a similar way here in Australia. As Alex said even our domestic farm animals are treated “badly” at times as well. The business of killing another animal so you can eat is a messing business, you can fool yourself that somehow different methods are more “ethical” then others but is boils down to killing. For billions of people around the world bleeding an animal to death is the only acceptable way of preparing a animal for the table. The cow, sheep or pig will take several minutes to die. So while I’m not defending the actions of these people, I am questioning your outrage.

[matt]

Really? Why is that? Frankly, I'm concerned at your lack of outrage.

Because unless you've seen the footage you're really not speaking from an informed position.

Regardless, it's your decision to accept dolphin farming/slaughter in the context in which you've explained. I'm sure you are not alone.

As I tried to point out to Alex...I'm not comfortable with the argument that just because we sometimes treat animals here in Australia badly...that somehow diminishes our position to be angry with what occurs overseas. I'll say it again...two wrongs don't make a right. How can you be sure I've also not had plenty to say about our domestic 'practices'?

This is the problem with a thread like this. It gets 'spun off' into a broader debate about all manner of ethical ins and outs.

My initial post was to point out an issue I had been made aware of...and to express a simple 'outraged' point of view aimed in that singular direction. It wasn't meant to be a broad statement...although I am fully aware it opens into one.

I appreciate the efforts of Alex and yourself to make everyone aware of the 'bigger picture', but you're preaching to the converted. We know.

I just wanted to point something out which upset me and to share this emotion with the good folk here at IIS.

Anyway...peace and kind wishes to you, and thanks for the input.

[xelasnave]

Lets look at the greater good... from this we can see the cruelty in many areas...and we respond...that is good.

I am sorry I put forward an unfortunate reality of humans killing animals and that draining blood is somewhat the best way...but it is that way unfortunately.

however we should still be outraged by the cruelty..hopefully a day will come when we humans who feel compassion are the majority and not the minority on this planet.

I think all feel the same way about this and it is difficult to express our feelings so as to embrass unfortunate realities... I hate to see anything killed, I hate to see suffering be it animal or human yet such is all about us..one day thijngs will be better...once Dublin was the slave capital of the world...children, men and ladies were mere chattels..the horror of such to us unbelievable ..unimaginable really...that has changed and other things now with us will change and it is our disgust with current accepted norms that is the start..we must be united in our disgust and one day it will be different...look you can not but a slave in Dublin these days...so we do move forward.

alex