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| Taiji cove: Dolphin hunting season begins with death of first pod | Taiji cove: Dolphin hunting season begins with death of first pod |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| Animal rights campaigners have reported the first cull of the six-month dolphin hunting season in Japan. | Animal rights campaigners have reported the first cull of the six-month dolphin hunting season in Japan. |
| Animal activist organisation Sea Shepherd, who have been monitoring the situation in Taiji Bay, southwestern Japan, claimed this morning that eight to nine Risso dolphins, including a calf, had been slaughtered. | Animal activist organisation Sea Shepherd, who have been monitoring the situation in Taiji Bay, southwestern Japan, claimed this morning that eight to nine Risso dolphins, including a calf, had been slaughtered. |
| The campaigners, who call themselves the Cove Guardians, live streamed yesterday’s events, tweeting: “First pod of 2014-15 being driven into cove now.” | The campaigners, who call themselves the Cove Guardians, live streamed yesterday’s events, tweeting: “First pod of 2014-15 being driven into cove now.” |
| According to the activists, the dolphins were killed before being taken to Taiji harbour where they were unloaded to the butchers house and sold. | According to the activists, the dolphins were killed before being taken to Taiji harbour where they were unloaded to the butchers house and sold. |
| "Today a pod of Risso's were murdered at the Cove," Zoe Ng, a local animal rights campaigner, told the South China Morning Post. | "Today a pod of Risso's were murdered at the Cove," Zoe Ng, a local animal rights campaigner, told the South China Morning Post. |
| "We're frustrated beyond words,” she said. “This year [the fishermen] hide behind tarps and still carry on their brutal murderous ways." | "We're frustrated beyond words,” she said. “This year [the fishermen] hide behind tarps and still carry on their brutal murderous ways." |
| Activists claimed that tarpaulin covers erected around the butcher’s harbour entrance and over the waters of the cove were because “they want no-one to see what they [dolphin hunters] are doing.” | Activists claimed that tarpaulin covers erected around the butcher’s harbour entrance and over the waters of the cove were because “they want no-one to see what they [dolphin hunters] are doing.” |
| Despite exhaustion, dolphins are fighting for their life right now just outside of Taiji harbor. 10:20am #tweet4taiji | Despite exhaustion, dolphins are fighting for their life right now just outside of Taiji harbor. 10:20am #tweet4taiji |
| Earlier Sea Shepherd members, in footage live streamed from Taiji Bay cove and harbour, said: “This shows the length they will go to, as well as how shameful this action is. The way they want everything hidden from prying eyes.” | Earlier Sea Shepherd members, in footage live streamed from Taiji Bay cove and harbour, said: “This shows the length they will go to, as well as how shameful this action is. The way they want everything hidden from prying eyes.” |
| The Taiji Bay cove is used by local fisherman to corral hundreds of dolphins before killing the mammals for their meat. The cove first attracted global attention after 2010 Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, which roused international condemnation of the practise. | |
| Last year, United States ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy tweeted her concern over the "inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing". | Last year, United States ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy tweeted her concern over the "inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing". |
| The culls have been defended on the grounds they are traditional. Pro-cull campaigners also point out the dolphins killed are not endangered. | The culls have been defended on the grounds they are traditional. Pro-cull campaigners also point out the dolphins killed are not endangered. |
| Despite calls to do so, the Japanese government has refused to condemn dolphin hunting, with the season opening on 1 September and continuing until the end of February. | Despite calls to do so, the Japanese government has refused to condemn dolphin hunting, with the season opening on 1 September and continuing until the end of February. |