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Dolphins captured for captivity in Taiji. Image: Hans Peter Roth

Loved and killed – whales and dolphins in Japan

Protests and criticism from outside Japan in response to the slaughter of whales and dolphins...
Narwhal with beluga whales

Unusual Whale Adoptions

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
Irrawaddy dolphin

Helping fishers protect dolphins in Sarawak, Borneo

Fishing nets are bad news for dolphins and porpoises, so we're working with local fishers...
Dolphin watching from Chanonry Point, Scotland. Image: WDC/Charlie Phillips

Discovering inner peace – whale and dolphin watching and mental wellbeing

Guest blog If you've ever seen whales or dolphins in the wild, you'll know that...
Whale tail

An ocean of hope

In a monumental, jaw-dropping demonstration of global community, the nations of the world made history...
North Atlantic right whale Porcia and her calf.

Critically Endangered Right Whale Babies Spotted

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
The infamous killing cove at Taiji, Japan

Why the Taiji dolphin hunt can never be justified

Supporters of the dolphin slaughter in Japan argue that killing a few hundred dolphins every...
Image: Peter Linforth

Tracking whales from space will help us save them

Satellite technology holds one of the keys to 21st century whale conservation, so we're exploring...

Everybody Loves Whales!

Anyone who loves animals reacts strongly to the images of whales and dolphins being hunted and killed, and we tend to direct our anger toward those we see as responsible for these brutal attacks. Sometimes we can forget, however, that it is a select few we are fighting – namely, those who are directly involved in hunting humpbacks in the Southern Ocean or herding dolphins into coves for slaughter – and target our wrath towards a country as a whole, further polarizing the issue. It is important to remember that there are people in those countries who love whales and dolphins just as we do, and people who are seeking to learn more about them. A recent display of light imagery in the form of humpback whales (“Urban Whale Watching” ) in Japan attracted the attention of a large number of passers-by; Cameras were pulled out to capture the moment, children tried to touch the whales swimming overhead, and the crowd audibly gasped as the whales rolled or opened their mouths.

The beautiful images, though made with computers and lights on the side of a building, captured the majestic grace of a whale in its natural environment. Inspiring those who live in countries that still participate in the killing of whales and dolphins, and providing them with an opportunity to see these creatures in the wild (or as close to the wild as an urban, computer-generated image can get) is an important part in the fight to end these hunts. We can work on changing the system from the inside out, as well as continuing the fight from our end of the globe. Artists like Bryant Austin (http://www.studiocosmos.com/) who has taken his amazing photos to whaling nations like Japan and Norway, allow citizens of these countries to see whales from a different perspective, and gives them the opportunity to make up their own minds. Bridging the gap between the viewpoints of nations starts with finding common ground. Looking at the reactions of the viewers in the Urban Whale Watching video, I think we have a good chance to reach out to our fellow animal-lovers and show them how amazing whales and dolphins are, and how important it is that we protect them from the brutal and useless killings that still threatens them. It’s not always “us against them” when it comes to conservation, it’s everybody who loves them.