http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U8CZAKSsNA
Take a look at this fantastic time lapse art by a Japanese artist of 2053 nuclear explosions from 1945-1998.
Its pretty scary to behold what damage to dolphin and whale populations we could have done in that timeframe from whatever polution resulted from them.
Now that a huge debris raft is about to hit the US from the japanese meltdown maybe we'll learn?
Wednesday 21 December 2011
Monday 19 December 2011
Taiji Dolphin slaughter and arrests
Taiji - Two days after arresting Dutch citizen Erwin Vermeulen, Wakayama police stormed the hotel where Sea Shepherd cove guardians and a Save Japan Dolphins monitor is staying. What is going on?
In a shocking twist following the arrest of Dutch national Erwin Vermeulen two days ago, Wakayama Prefecture police raided the Charmant Hotel near Kii-Katsuura last night, where several cove guardians for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) and one cove monitor for Save Japan Dolphins (SJD) are currently staying. The raid occurred shortly after what monitors and guardians reported as the worst dolphin slaughter of the season. According to Sea Shepherd, the 20 policemen "armed with a warrant ... seized computers, phones, hard drives, photos, cameras and anything they deemed suspicious." At first report, it was believed that three cove guardians and one SJD member – Heather Hill, had been detained, but Japanese police only confiscated equipment used to catalog the Taiji dolphin drives. Save Japan Dolphins verified this morning, that unlike the Sea Shepherd's equipment, Hill's equipment was checked before being returned to her. The raid followed a particularly brutal dolphin drive and slaughter of around 34 striped dolphins. Striped dolphins are notoriously skittish and panic more than any other dolphin species. They often throw themselves onto rocks in the cove, in an attempt to escape. Although this is Hill's second visit to Taiji in a couple months and she has witnessed several slaughters, yesterday she says, "will probably always be, the longest and hardest day of my life." Hill added that fishermen, in an attempt to prevent the dolphins' escape, "tried to position themselves between the rocks and dolphins." Divers, Hill said, "sat on the rocks to push and kick the dolphins that slammed their bodies into the wall, tearing their skin open and staining the water with blood." It is the recording of this type of evidence, that Taiji it appears, is doing its best to stifle. Looking back over the events of the past few months, Japan has clearly declared its intention to raise the stakes significantly with regard to its whaling activities. This season, guardians and monitors are followed around the clock by Taiji police. Activists have welcomed their presence and protection, describing them as polite and protective. Yet the police who conducted last night's raid, are from a separate entity representing the Wakayama Prefecture. A source for SSCS said that Wakayama police often "sit down to breakfast with the dolphin hunters." Recently, the reallocation of $28.5 million in disaster funds by Japan to support its whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean, has drawn much criticism. The money has been used to employ the Japanese coastguard to defend its whaling ships this year. Furthermore, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) along with Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd (organizations that operate whaling vessels), has hired American law firm Miller Nash to represent it in a suit aimed to prevent "acts of violence" by Sea Shepherd activists during this year's whale hunt. In Taiji, the critical pressure being placed on the coastal town is fraying tempers and forcing a crackdown. A few weeks ago, Sea Shepherd cove guardian Rosie Kunneke alleged she was pushed by a Taiji fishermen. SSCS also reported a kidnapping attempt on Kunneke, possibly by Japanese "Yakuza" gangsters, an organized crime syndicate called "boryokudan," or violence group, by Japanese police. Lauren Williams of Australia's Daily Telegraph, recently reported that the Yakuza may have launched a campaign of intimidation to force a media blackout on the furor surrounding the country's killing of dolphins and whales. Both cove guardians and monitors have further reported the strange rearranging of flora at various lookout points used by guardians and monitors to document the dolphin drives. Sticks of bamboo have been cropping up in the unlikeliest of places, in what activists say, is an attempt to block viewing areas of the cove. One fisherman was recently captured on video by SSCS and given a warning by local Taiji police, for trespassing and planting bamboo. Then, just two days ago, Dutch national Erwin Vermeulen was arrested and accused of shoving a Dolphin Resort Hotel Employee during the transfer of a Risso's dolphin from a sea pen to the hotel. Vermuelen is still being held, and under Japanese law says SSCS, can be detained for up to 23 days without speaking to a lawyer. Last night's raid has ratcheted the tension up another notch, prompting SSCS Captain Paul Watson to call the move by Wakayama police, an of "frustration and desperation." The raid has left Sea Shepherd cove guardians unable to document and report further dolphin drives. After querying the reason behind the issuing of the Wakayama police search warrant, Save Japan Dolphins cove monitor Heather Hill responded simply, "Friendship with Erwin Vermuelen." In Taiji it appears, friendship can have dangerous consequences. How long will it be before Japan's continued obsession with whaling and dolphin hunting, starts costing lives? Meanwhile, according to Capt. Paul Watson, Vermuelen will be released "if he simply pleads guilty."
This opinion article was written by an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily intended to reflect those of DigitalJournal.com
46Wednesday 14 December 2011
Fear ,d esperation a dolphin sufering in Taiji.
Beauty and the Beast
Some mornings here in Taiji you just know are going to be ‘slaughter days’…
But at the same time, some mornings you get either a plesant surprise, or the disappointment of a lifetime. To have both in one day happens rarely, and when it does it feels literally soul-crushing.
We awoke to a very overcast and dark morning here in Taiji, though with glass-like seas. There was an overwhelming sense of doom almost lingering in the air, as we watched the banger boats leave to hunt dolphins… B, Heather, Nikki and myself went up to the promontory to scout the horizon and Scott and Erwin went up to a new area; ‘Point Erwin’.The boys could see the drive a little more clear if dolphins were found down South, and this morning I received a message from Scott that it looked as though the dolphin hunters had found a pod. Every ten or so minutes I would be updated, and for a while it wasn’t looking good.But then it seemed as though the pod had gotten away, and the seven boats that were driving it to the South had started making their way back. Three bangers stationed to the North began to return and drove straight into Taiji Harbour. For a precious fifteen or so minutes, our hopes started to rise higher and higher… even the sun came out into a glorious sunrise. It looked as though it was going to be a great day for the dolphins!
It all changed so suddenly. The banger boats appeared as if out of no where in front of the promontory. Seven of them. Lined up in drive formation… and then we spotted the pod.
They were driving quickly, so we headed straight for Glenda’s Hill to get a good look down toward the Cove.
The pod were so exhausted, especially for Striped dolphins. Now, every time I see the gorgeous markings that identify a dolphin as Striped, I feel a huge knot in my stomach. For me, seeing Striped dolphins in the cove has been by far the most horrible to endure, as they would normally throw themselves up onto rocks in a desperate attempt to get away from the banging and roaring motors… It is heart wrenching. For this to be legal anywhere in the world is absolutely beyond me. For pride, for culture, for money… it doesn’t matter in the end- to see these animals’ fear, desperation and prolonged suffering should be enough to halt the insanity…
Today was a little different to all other Striped dolphin slaughters I have witnessed in the past… as a testament to just how exhausted these animals were, they allowed themselves to be pushed straight into the killing cove without jumping on rocks… the suffering for this particular pod was to occur out of sight, under tarpaulins. But no amount of screens could obscure the noises you can hear from within the killing cove… noises that will continue to stay with me in both my waking and dreaming states.And, just like that, a family was destroyed. The only thing left to see was a small boat full of dolphin bodies (covered up, of course) with a few men, the beast of the Earth, strewed on top…
For those of you who want to help us make a difference and have a hand at stopping the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, click here! Also- to help me in my mission to give a voice to the youth of the world, read all about my ‘In Our Hands’ project and PLEASE get involved!
You can follow my Facebook for more updates from Taiji and my journey… Also email me at pathtoprotect@hotmail.com with any comments or questions!
Thanks again for all the support guys!
On the path to protect,
Nicole.
One blogger likes this post.
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Dolphin art will diminish !
| Nicole McLachlan |
The past few days here in Taiji have been slaughter-free.. The boats have left the harbour at sunrise, and returned with nothing. I'll say it once and I'll repeat myself now, while there is all a cause for celebration of the absence of bloodshed here in Taiji, that doesn't necessarily mean that there is nothing to be concerned about… As the numbers of migratory dolphins inevitably dwindle along the coasts of Japan (and other nations) should these slaughters continue, we will see an ever decreasing amount of dolphins passing by, and an ever increasing number of slaughter-free days here in Taiji.
What should be understood is that these dolphins don't just have to consider the dolphin hunters of Taiji or wider Japan as their greatest threat- the fact is that these animals are now living in an ocean where they are lucky to survive to a mature age. With pollution, fishing nets and gear, chemical poisoning and many other threats- the last factor that these animals need is the threat of slaughter… this is something that mankind can stop. We are seeing a hugely decreased number of dolphins this season, and if things continue in our oceans then it is only a matter of time before we could be looking at yet another area that these beautiful animals have been wiped away from…
We have been busy in Taiji monitoring the other crucial factor in the slaughter issue- that of captivity. We have been monitoring the Risso's dolphins captured only a few short days ago from the wild (with their family members killed before their eyes), as well as a very mentally ill Pilot Whale at Dolphin Base which has barely moved from his one corner of a sea pen in the entire two and a half months that I have been here for… We will update as we notice anything further from here on the ground.
If you've ever seen the documentary, Earthlings, then you will understand what I am saying and why, as you read this blog. If you have seen the documentary but don't understand, then perhaps you should take the time to re-watch it.
If you have never seen it, then I suggest that you not only watch it, but take notice and never, ever forget the lessons learnt throughout the 100 or so minutes it will take to gain possibly the most significant knowledge ever attainable- knowledge about the actions of mankind all over the world and compassion for the living beings we share this planet with. It will be the most valuable portion of your life that you could ever spend…
Understanding the basic laws of nature will be paramount to essentially 'saving' our planet, our animals and the children of tomorrow…
In today's society, humankind have come so far away from these basic laws, that life on Earth is now threatened in a very real way. In 100 years, we have laid out so much destruction on Earth- both above and below water- that we risk completely losing anything that was once 'natural' forevermore. Animals, even if they are not subjected to direct interactions with mankind, are now adapting and evolving to suit the rapidly unnatural world that humans are inflicting. Fish in the ocean must now adapt to a chemically altered sea, land animals the world over must adapt to the countless ways in which we affect their lives… whether it be visible or not. In time, if things do not change, we may soon live in a world where there will be no 'naturally' occurring ecosystem, animal or plant left on Earth- we will live in a world which has become completely and irreversibly affected by humankind that there will be no turning back, no second chances.
Sometimes when I feel as though hope for the future of the natural world on Earth is fading I remind myself that, sooner or later, all humans will understand what we are doing to the planet. I just hold on to the hope that it won't be too late- that we won't be hearing in 50 years time from presidents and prime ministers over public announcements the world over, that we are in a dire crisis- there are no animals left in the sea, there are no animals left on land except those in laboratories, slaughterhouses and captive centres, the coral reefs of the world are gone, we are standing to lose over 66% of the oxygen we breathe from the atmosphere, and warfare, riots, looting and other chaos is running rampant over the world as people realise that they were lied to or kept in the dark about the effects of what humans have been doing to our natural world…
When in fact, the information and resources are there to find out what is happening and to educate yourself right now… we just have to look beyond what our governments and the media tell us. This may all seem like I am being a little drastic- but at the end of the day if things continue, people will be looking back in years to come and asking "why wasn't something more drastic done to prevent this?"
The question is, will mankind act fast enough and stand up before it really is too late to stop the ever growing effects of over-population, industrialisation, exploitation of animals for consumption, fashion, science and entertainment, habitat loss, ocean acidification… the list is almost never-ending.
I feel strongly that there is enough information out there already at the fingertips of anyone with access to a computer, television, radio, mobile phone etc- I feel that there is enough hope in the innocent minds of younger generations who, before being tainted by growing up in an unnatural world, show more compassion, understanding and acceptance toward other beings than most adults.
We just have to take the time to make the connection. www.whalesongart.com
Monday 5 December 2011
Friday 2 December 2011
Greek whale stranding
2011-12-02
It is not possible at this early stage to give an exact reason for this stranding, however, on the basis of the report there appears to be strong evidence that a high pitched man made noise from an unknown source heard by rescuers in the location as the strandings were occurring. This noise could have been as a result of military activity, or from seismic surveys known to have been carried out in the area.
Whilst the cause of the stranding has yet to be confirmed, this one fits the sonar pattern perfectly. We hope that all parties will be forthcoming with providing all information necessary to conduct a full and transparent stranding investigation. Whilst many navies go to considerable lengths to mitigate the impacts of their activities, clearly more needs to be done - and there is no time to waste in fully protecting areas such as the Mediterranean, where Cuvier's beaked whale populations are in real trouble.
Unusual Whalewww.whalesongart.com Stranding In Greece
WDCS has received reports of an unusual stranding of a minimum of three Cuvier's beaked whales which occurred yesterday, 30 November 2011, on the western shores of the Greek island of Corfu.It is not possible at this early stage to give an exact reason for this stranding, however, on the basis of the report there appears to be strong evidence that a high pitched man made noise from an unknown source heard by rescuers in the location as the strandings were occurring. This noise could have been as a result of military activity, or from seismic surveys known to have been carried out in the area.
Whilst the cause of the stranding has yet to be confirmed, this one fits the sonar pattern perfectly. We hope that all parties will be forthcoming with providing all information necessary to conduct a full and transparent stranding investigation. Whilst many navies go to considerable lengths to mitigate the impacts of their activities, clearly more needs to be done - and there is no time to waste in fully protecting areas such as the Mediterranean, where Cuvier's beaked whale populations are in real trouble.
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