Grotesque business as usual: In Taiji, Japan, fishermen in the Cove are still killing dolphins
Ric O’Barry has devoted nearly 40 years to keeping marine mammals out of captivity. Animal lovers will recognize O’Barry from last year’s much-heralded documentary “The Cove,” which tells the story of an annual Japanese event at which dolphins are systematically slaughtered. Recently, he returned to Japan; we’re honored that he’s chosen to share his observations with Unleashed.
Sadly, in the cove itself, I have found it is business as usual, despite the worldwide publicity against the dolphin slaughter. On a recent Sunday, several false killer whales (a large dolphin) were captured and a few were taken by boat around the corner of the bay to the notorious Taiji Whale Museum’s floating holding cages on the other side. These whales will be trained and then sold for extremely high prices (as much as $150,000 US dollars each or more) to other aquariums for their captive dolphin shows. The rest of the pod, their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers, would be slaughtered the next day at dawn. There were also Risso’s dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins in the cove as well, and they died too. My son Lincoln and I were on hand to record it. My son and I are working on a new TV project, so we will have a way to show the world the reality here in Taiji.
The Cove We will continue to show our presence here, and we will continue to record the brutal dolphin slaughters. By showing “The Cove” around Japan, we will spread the truth that the government has tried so long to cover up.
One of my goals is to change some hearts and minds here in Taiji. It seems to me that this is ground zero for the fight to change the hearts and minds of all Japan. We know there are people here in town who object to the dolphin slaughter, and recently, I had a chance to meet them. We have a Japanese version of “The Cove” DVD with us, and we plan to screen it discreetly for as many local people as we can find who want to know the truth. DVD copies of “The Cove” will also be given to decision-makers in the Japanese government.
