| Dolphins are at the top of the must-see list for | | | | out of shore with ropes that are tied around their |
| tourists and residents alike. Aquariums and marine | | | | tails and sold to marine parks. |
| parks are traditional tourist destinations all over | | | | The aquarium industry offers thousands of dollars |
| the world. Everyone has happy childhood | | | | for these few prime specimen, thus subsidizing |
| memories of family outings for birthday parties at | | | | the annual dolphin kill. This is a dark and dirty little |
| the local aquarium. If the tourists that flock there | | | | secret that few people know about and nobody |
| really knew where the dolphins came from and | | | | really wants to publicize. On its own, dolphin meat |
| how they have been caught, I am sure they not | | | | does not generate enough income to be a viable |
| be patronize these businesses so avidly. | | | | industy because of the high levels of mercury it |
| Every year, from September to April, Japanese | | | | contains. However, while the aquarium industry |
| fishermen hunt and kill thousands of dolphins as a | | | | continues to offer thousands of dollars for the |
| substitute for whale meat. In Taiji Bay Japan, at | | | | few captured dolphins, the violent slaughter for |
| least 2,000 dolphins are slaughtered for meat | | | | dolphin meat in Japan continues with this huge |
| annually with the prize specimens sold to | | | | subsidy from aquariums all over the world. |
| aquariums worldwide. A prime specimen of a live | | | | Thousands of innocent dolphins continue to die |
| dolphin is worth more than $40,000. Japanese | | | | horrible deaths at Japanese beaches and bays, |
| fishermen search for a pods of dolphins in samll | | | | while the uninformed public applaud the few seen |
| boats. Once located, they beat the water with | | | | jumping and dancing in aquariums. |
| long metal poles, creating a wall of sound that | | | | Patronizing aquariums where that purchase dolphin |
| interferes with the dolphins' sonar navigation. As | | | | from the Japanese is supporting this barbaric |
| the dolphins agitatedly swim away from the | | | | practice. |
| sound, the fishermen maneuver their boats and | | | | What can you do about it? Send a letter, e-mail |
| herd the pod of dolphins into a bay enclosed with | | | | or fax to the Prime Minister of Japan, the Minister |
| nets. Once trapped in the bay, they are stabbed | | | | of Fisheries, your local embassy or consulate and |
| with spears and knives, then left slowly to bleed | | | | other Japanese officials to let them know that this |
| to death. The water literally turns red from the | | | | barbaric slaughter is unacceptable. |
| violent slaughter. A few "lucky" ones are hauled | | | | |