Australia takes Japan to Court

You may have heard that this week the Government will start legal proceedings against Japan and its so-called scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean. But what does this mean for whales? And will it affect the International Whaling Commission’s discussions?

At this early stage it is hard to say. But the announcement gives a strong signal to Japan that we will no longer tolerate whaling in the Southern Ocean. And for that reason alone, I’m pleased that it is going ahead.

While the latest development shows our Government is serious about stopping Japanese whaling, this is not a simple situation. As a result, it has drawn a mixed response from other governments, including from our closest neighbours in New Zealand.

What we mustn’t forget in all of the debate is that whaling is inherently cruel. And as Australians we are passionate about ending this cruelty – our recent research shows that 95% of us want whaling in the Southern Ocean stopped.

The Government's decision is therefore in-line with the expectations of Australians that we must do everything possible to end whaling. But the legal action will take time. In the meantime, the IWC meeting is approaching fast. And we need to make our voices heard loud and clear at this meeting.

The Australian Government must stand strong for whales at the IWC. They must continue to argue for a future where whales are protected, not whaling. And we can push them to do this. And we can support them in taking this stance.

So please record your word today. And tell everyone you know. We can’t afford to wait.

Emily Reeves, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

The Cruel Truth About Whaling

I need to warn you now that what you’re about to read will be upsetting. But this is not sensationalist writing, I don’t believe in shock tactics. What you’re about to read are simply the facts about the cruelty of whaling.

Up to 2,500 whales are killed every year, many under the spurious guise of scientific research. Whatever the reason, the method used to kill whales is always cruel. What makes this all the more shocking is that, sadly, around a third of whales are pregnant when they’re killed.

Whalers use grenade harpoons designed to enter the flesh of the whale and then explode. The harpoon is fired from a cannon on the prow of the ship. Aimed by hand, it creates a hole in the whale’s body and then explodes, causing massive injury or death through laceration or trauma.

Often, the whale does not die instantly. Death can take anything from two minutes up to an hour. Then another grenade harpoon or rifle shots are used. If the first harpoon remains in the whale, the attached line serves to slow or hold it in place for this second attempt.

No government adequately reports how long it takes for a whale to die. The people we rely on for this information - and for the number of animals that are injured but not caught - are the whalers themselves. For this reason we expect a lack of accurate reporting on how whales die and that's exactly what we get.


© Jonas Fr. Thorsteinsson

The whalers also determine themselves if a whale is dead or not before they begin cutting it up. But whales are able to slow their breathing and heart rate for long periods underwater. This means whalers may decide a whale has no indications of life, that it is dead, when it is still very much alive.

I’ve heard these grim details so many times, but they still upset me. Nothing can be done to alleviate the suffering that whaling causes. There is no humane alternative; there is no cruelty free way to kill a whale. That’s why I believe that whaling has to end. That’s why I will be representing WSPA at the IWC next month. And that’s why I need your help to get this message across.

Please record your word today.

Emily Reeves, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

Protecting Whales, Not Whaling

Have you been whale watching? I haven’t, yet, but I was lucky enough to see two beautiful humpback whales at Bondi last year. They were hypnotic. We were all transfixed as they breached and flicked their magnificent tails again and again. They took my breath away.

An experience like that makes it so hard to believe that many of the majestic whales we see swim past our shores will return to the Antarctic to face a slow and agonising death at the hands of whalers later this year.

But that’s why I’m writing this now. If we can get the message across that whaling is inhumane, if we at WSPA can gather the support of Australians to say no to this cruelty, I believe we can change the direction of the whaling debate.

You see it’s not all about numbers. Yes we need to protect whales from extinction. But there is a more urgent need to protect our whales from the cruel and unnecessary whaling industry. Just one whale killed is one too many because there is no humane way to kill a whale at sea.

Recent WSPA research suggests 18 to 24 year olds are less concerned about whaling than older Australians. I don’t believe that they don’t care. I believe they’re frustrated. And is it any wonder when year on year the International Whaling Commission, the body responsible for managing whaling, simply debates how many whales can be killed?

That’s why I’ve been speaking to the media this week. (You can see me on Channel Ten’s The Circle here). And that’s why we all need to speak out on behalf of whales. If we don’t do that now, the IWC could agree a deal to legalise commercial whaling next month.

We can’t let that happen. With the support of Optus, we’ve launched our Give Whales a voice campaign. By recording your word at givewhalesavoice.com.au you can help us tell the IWC that Australians will not stand for whaling.

After all, shouldn’t we be protecting whales, not whaling?


Louise Fitzsimons, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.