Brutal Japanese drive hunt season ends but killing goes on
The horrific drive hunt season in Japan has ended but, although a temporary end to the slaughter in Japan is welcome, the drive hunt season for pilot whales carries on until April. Sadly, the fishermen in Taiji also continue to take part in harpoon hunts and ‘small type coastal whaling’ for false killer whales and pilot whales.
The coastal ‘small type whaling’ season in Taiji runs from May 1 through September 30th. In these hunts, pilot whales and false killer whales are targeted from boats. Hand-held harpoon hunts occur off Taiji from January through August and also elsewhere in Japan, where all dolphin species, including Dall’s porpoises, are targeted. As a result, Japan’s dolphins are assaulted and traumatized year-round. Incredibly, the total quota (number that can be slaughtered) for all small whale and dolphin species in Japan for 2013-2014 is 16,497 individuals.
