Bored on a Sunday night, I was endlessly flipping through the channels trying to find something to pique my interest when I saw "The Cove", a documentary about the annual slaughtering of dolphins in Taiji, Wakayama in Japan.
"The film highlights the fact that the number of dolphins killed in the Taiji dolphin hunting drive is several times greater than the number of whales killed in the Antarctic, and reports that 23,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed in Japan every year in the country's whaling industry. The migrating dolphins are herded into a hidden cove where they are netted and killed by means of spears and knives over the side of small fishing boats."
This annual hunt for dolphins is to sell these mammals to marine parks and aquariums for revenue. The dolphins that don't make "the cut" are therefore slaughtered in the cove where their meat are sold in supermarkets posing as expensive whale meat.
Most Japanese people do not know of this practice that is happening in their country, and not only is it unjust to slaughter innocent animals, but a problem in mercury consumption also poses a threat. "In June 2008, AERA, a Japanese weekly journal, reported that the whale and dolphin meat sold in Taiji contained a level of mercury 160 times higher than normal, and that the hair of a local sample of eight men and women had 40 times higher mercury levels, based on a research conducted by the National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD)." Mercury is known for causing neurological damage, and is most dangerous to pregnant women's fetuses, causing deformities.
"The Cove has enjoyed success across the globe, winning awards from all corners of the world, winning over 25 well-respected film awards. Some notable awards include "Best Documentary" from the Environmental Media Awards,[59] Three Cinema Eye Honors [60] for "Outstanding Achievement", the “Golden Tomato Award” from the critic website rottentomatoes.com,[61] and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature on the 82nd Annual Academy Awards."
Find out more information on thecovemovie.com. Here is a clip of the brutal slaughtering of Japan. I know it's not eye-friendly, but this is a serious matter: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa9dn8_dolphin-slaughter-in-japan-video-pa
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