The Australian government has condemned Japan's "regrettable" decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission and resume commercial whaling. The Japanese government's withdrawal from the
Is Japan's research whaling, which claims about 1000 whales a year, scientific investigation or disguised commercial whaling? A new review process endorsed by the International Whaling Commission last week at its 60th annual meeting hopes to get closer to the answer.
Humpback whale numbers in the northern Pacific Ocean have ballooned to nearly 20,000, the largest population seen since the majestic mammals were hunted nearly to extinction half a century ago. The number of humpbacks hit an all-time low of1,400 or even lower by 1966, when their hunting was banned internationally. The new census, from one of the largest whale studies ever undertaken, shows that the animals have rebounded much better than expected.
After spiritual guru Morari Bapu played brand Ambassador to save the killing of whale shark by the fishermen, the forest department has sought help from the coast guard to monitor the movement of fishermen and check illegal killing of whale sharks in mid sea. The efforts of conservation seem to be already paying off. In the last three years around 42 whale sharks have been saved and this year only about 20-odd whale sharks have been saved so far.
Trouble is brewing in the waters off the Chukotka Peninsula in the far east of Siberia. In the past few years, the aboriginal whalers of the eastern coastline who hunt grey whales for meat have reported that an increasing number of the creatures they catch smell so foul that even dogs won't eat them. The few people who have tried the meat suffered numb mouths, stomach ache and skin rashes.
Playa Punta Norte: A six-ton orca, or killer whale, torpedoes toward the beach, its dorsal fin cutting the Patagonian sea. It launches itself onto the sand in an explosion of water and foam. Before the waters die down, the orca is shaking its immense head from side to side with a sea lion pup clamped between his jaws. Then the orca wriggles into position to catch a wave to carry it back out to sea. This is a rare occurrence, in which a whale seems to defy its instincts by coming onto land, risking death if it becomes stranded on the inhospitable beach.
Japan May Raise Antarctic Whale Meat Prices JAPAN: April 16, 2008 TOKYO - Japan may raise prices of whale meat to finance the next round of its annual Antarctic hunt after activists stopped it whaling fleet from killing their target number of animals, a government official said on Tuesday. This season's hunt saw a series of skirmishes between the Japanese fleet and anti-whaling protesters. The fleet caught only 551 minke whales, compared with the planned catch of 850. No fin whales were caught, although it had set a target of 50, a Fisheries Ministry official said on Monday.
Japan Kills 551 Antarctic Whales, Short Of Target JAPAN: April 15, 2008 TOKYO - Japan's Antarctic whaling catch fell far short of its target this season, hampered by a series of skirmishes with anti-whaling protesters, the Fisheries Agency said on Monday. The fleet caught only 551 minke whales, compared with the planned catch of 850. No fin whales were caught at all, although it had set a target of 50, a Fisheries Ministry official said. "Sabotage by activists is a major factor behind our failure to achieve our target," the official said.
>> Governments of Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast have announced a joint health programme to tackle a meningitis epidemic, which has gripped the bordering area of the two countries. By the second week
Japan To Inspect Protest-Hit Whaling Fleet - Media JAPAN: April 14, 2008 TOKYO - Japanese coast guard and police will inspect the country's whaling fleet this week after the ships' heated clashes with conservation activists in the Southern Ocean earlier in the year, media reported on Sunday. Investigations so far have eyed possible charges such as assault and obstruction of business through threats, although authorities will probably have a hard time identifying suspects, Kyodo news agency said.
>> Virgin Airlines owner Richard Branson recently claimed to have made history by launching the first biofuel-powered commercial flight from London to Amsterdam. The debatable point is
