No Successful Hunts in Taiji

By Ric O’Barry
Director
Dolphin Project

While I’ve been in Canada, attending the last big demonstration of the season at Marineland in Niagara Falls with hundreds of activists, Sakura, our volunteer Japanese Cove Monitor in Taiji, has informed me that no dolphins have been killed this past few days (she has been back in town since last Thursday).

The boats went out on Friday, but returned without any dolphins.  On Saturday, a local festival was held in which the dolphin hunters participated.

Sakura has been unable to get information on what happened to the pilot whales that were herded into the Cove a week ago Friday.   She had to leave town for prior commitments.  We are still hopeful she can get the inside scoop from some of our Taiji sources who are willing to tell us (off the record) what the dolphin hunters are up to.

More Cove Monitors are on the way to spell Sakura and her Japanese friends.  I appreciate all their time and dedication to helping us in monitoring the activities at the Cove, many traveling on money out of their own pockets or that they raised themselves in special fundraisers.

Our Cove Monitors keep the pressure on the dolphin hunters, the town leaders and the Japanese government, knowing that the dolphin hunts are being watched by the whole world with the help of Save Japan Dolphins and all you readers who pass along this information to others.