Zoo group puzzled by exclusion from global body over dolphin hunt

The killing of these Dolphins is useless, they are improper to consumption as the are at the top of the food chain and full of heavy metals.....

Are school children still forced to eat dolphins? I want to know where.

cleo: "Any animal taken from the wild using cruel and non-selective methods."

It's in the story, in the news, in Japanese as well, in all the comments, and she's been told directly a number of times. She sees what she wishes, clearly.

I know dolphin is a special animal for westerners

The member list for WAZA includes countries from South America, North America, Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australasia. aka 'the world'. Not all 'westerners'.

From the WAZA press release - WAZA requires all members to adhere to policies that prohibit participating in cruel and non-selective methods of taking animals from the wild.. Not just dolphins. Any animal taken from the wild using cruel and non-selective methods.

tinawatanabe: "Really? Where is the rule? No dolphin ruel? Never heard of such rule."

You are imagining things again. Nowhere is there a 'no dolphin' rule. There is a 'no dolphins from Taiji' rule, because Taiji engages in a disgusting and barbaric and extremely cruel practice despite this being the 21st century and there being ZERO need for it. That kind of cruelty is specifically listed, tina, so stop trying to cry foul and claim it is discrimination because any members would be kicked out for buying from associations or groups that get their animals and/or treat the same animals according to barbaric practices. Japan was asked many times to stop getting dolphins from Taiji, but they refused to follow WAZA's rules, so they were cut. Plain and simple.

"If they have no-dolphin rule that is not based on the universal feelings, they are abusing their authority."

Wrong again, and again, and again. The rules are Waza's -- you want JAPAN ONLY rules. You are being a hypocrite and saying that if Japan thinks it's okay, it should be allowed, even if the rest of the world does not. And the rest of the world does not. That is not abuse of authority. Allowing Japan to keep their status while the flaunt the rules is abuse, by Japan.

"Japan is not serving a large amout of any meat, why don't you go worried about the way your country children's diet is. It is laughing for and arrogant of you to lecture Japanese how to eat."

So you have no problem about the government putting dolphin meat in school lunches because they cannot sell it? I have no problem with you choosing what you want to eat, tina. Go ahead! But YOU choosing to have children force-fed mercury-tainted meat because you want to keep a few old men and women in business in Taiji as a knee-jerk reaction to media coverage of the dolphin slaughter, THAT is a problem. I don't have to worry about my government feeding poisoned dolphin meat to children because it would never be allowed, or any other meat where that needs to be fed to them because it cannot be sold and the government spent so much money on it.

WAZA has had this rule in place for some time,

Really? Where is the rule? No dolphin ruel? Never heard of such rule. I know dolphin is a special animal for westerners, so they feel it is cruel to see them killed, but Japanese and non-westerners don't have special attachment to the animal, so don't see any problem. It is just as cruel as any other animal killings.

Your feeling toward dolphin is not universal. If they have no-dolphin rule that is not based on the universal feelings, they are abusing their authority. And if they had such rule why was Japan allowed to enter? I think they're just influenced by the movie and changed their attitude without go talking with taichi people.

Japan is not serving a large amout of any meat, why don't you go worried about the way your country children's diet is. It is laughing for and arrogant of you to lecture Japanese how to eat.

It sounds hypocritical to me that Western Zoos that keep animals for profit preach cruelty.

If they are so much concerned about animals, just free the animals.

exactly - People just follow like sheep because its trendy to attack Japan right now - everyone's an expert, I am surprised someone hasn't found a WWII connection or some relation to comfort women - again trendy complaints to make. Other countries are all no doubt perfect. Why not just stay out of Japans business (the way Japan stays out of other countries business).

As for Japan perhaps they could consider not being a member of WAZA.

tinawatanabe: "Japan is not forcing the group to hunt. "

You completely missed the point. If the Japanese group wants WAZA to accept them even though they (Japan) won't abide by their (Waza) rules, JAPAN is forcing its way on WAZA and the rest of the world, not vice-versa.

"The changing side has to be objective and rational and fair..."

WAZA has had this rule in place for some time, and Japan has refused to abide by their calls to adhere to it. So, no, it's not at all WAZA's obligation to allow a member to bend or break the rules at all. That's not the way the world works, tina. If I join a club and then demand the club follow my schedule and not their own, it would be perfectly understandable if the club kicked me out.

"There would be many things Japanese children don't eat."

Yes, but we are talking about dolphin, not red herrings.

"To maintain a industry, it doesn't have to be consumed by the most populace. As long as there is a demand no matter how small, it is not wrong to supply to the demand."

Not when the demand is by FAR outweighed by the supply to the point where they have to force it down the mouths of school children despite the mercury levels being 10 times the acceptable level for human beings to consume, and not when WE have to pay for the very, very few stubborn old people in that small town to be able to force their culture on the rest of the nation.

forcing Japanese culture on the group

Japan is not forcing the group to hunt. And Japan has been doing this for a very long time, why is this change now? The changing side has to be objective and rational and fair if demand a change to its member, especially expulsion..

Ask ANY Japanese child if they're rather eat dolphin

There would be many things Japanese children don't eat. To maintain a industry, it doesn't have to be consumed by the most populace. As long as there is a demand no matter how small, it is not wrong to supply to the demand.

What about Canada? Canada Government and its Wildlife authority allowed hunters to kill Seal Pups with baseball bat. It's real barbarism. Innocent defenseless cutest Seal pups they were just giving birth by their mothers were killed with baseball bat for their fur. Does anyone has making documentary for deter killing Seal pups from slaughtering in future by Canadian hunters and it’s Government? Seal is as much as intelligent as Dolphin. I'm sickening of killing Dolphins and Seal Pups. Also I'm sickening of activists living high life with fund for animals as well.

tinawatanabe: "Because of WAZA's subjective attitude.The Westerners are forcing their culture on Japan."

If Japan wants to be part of a group, it must adhere to the group's rules, not vice-versa! On the contrary, you insisting WAZA allow Japan to get dolphins from the hunt is forcing Japanese culture on the group. Stop playing victim here!

"Please don't stop. It will hurt Taiji people's livelihood".

Not if they change the way they hunt and kill the dolphins. Most Japanese don't agree with the way they do it anyhow; they are just against foreign intervention and the way the foreign media portrays it. It's called a knee-jerk reaction. Ask ANY Japanese child if they're rather eat dolphin or a hamburger for lunch and I guarantee 100% will say 'hamburger', and yet you insist we continue to support the failing community of Taiji because no one likes it. Nice logic!

Please don't stop. It will hurt Taiji people's livelihood.

Cry me a river. It's about time all dolphin parks were shut down. It's the only way to shut down Taiji as well, but starving it of its source of income. Then it would have to become a government subsidised venture like whale hunting is

theeastisred is wrong to think that Western zoos keep animals for profit. Sure people have to pay to see them, and rare species are bred and sold to other zoos so that they can be exhibited there. But from the beginning there was always an educational aspect to zoos, even if it was as simple as letting the general public see animals they would otherwise never get to see as only rich people travelled abroad in those days. But even that was educational in very simple terms, and in addition it gave scientists and zoology students ready access to non-native species and even hard-to-find native ones. But those roles have greatly expanded today, and zoos will usually have staff whose job is to educate the public, especially children, and often provide unprecedented access to the animals where this is safe for both the animals and visitors alike. If you ever visit Melbourne I can recommend the three Melbourne Zoo sites and the Melbourne Aquarium. You will be impressed. But there is a more modern role for zoos that has become of increasing importance; that of conservation. In a world where increasing human population growth is putting great and even terminal pressure on wild life, zoos can keep and breed endangered species against the time when they can be released again into the wild if that ever becomes possible in any one case. Whole species have been wiped out in the past, for example the moa in New Zealand for food, or passenger pigeons in America for sport. We do need zoos!

Why are they surprised?

Because of WAZA's subjective attitude.The Westerners are forcing their culture on Japan.

"We will discuss whether to stop receiving dolphins from Taiji"

Please don't stop. It will hurt Taiji people's livelihood.

Why are they surprised?

I guess Japan has to accept the expulsion from WAZA and join forces with other hunting countries.

tinawatanabe: ""Cruel" is subjective term. They have to provide scientific data when telling another country to stop eating something."

Why? when Japan would just deny the data and insist the only real 'science' when it comes to cetaceans is "soy sauce or mayonnaise"? You're defending a nation that claims it is whaling in the name of science, don't forget, when it is simply whaling for food no one needs or wants, and they can't provide justifiable scientific information to allow them to resume whaling in the first place.

Some of the people in the zoo group are definitely less intelligent than the dolphins (or at least willfully ignorant).

"Cruel" is subjective term. They have to provide scientific data when telling another country to stop eating something.

I can’t get a salmon to jump through a hoop on command or surface on their tails in formation. Dolphins are highly intelligent creatures that should not be eaten nor held in captivity. Using them as a food source is primitive to say the least. This is more about, you can’t tell us what we can kill vs. understanding what you are doing is wrong. Stop the madness!

CH3CHOMAY. 01, 2015 - 02:11PM JST theeastisredMay. 01, 2015 - 01:08PM JST Didn't you read the article? European members of WAZA do not keep dolphins, Nagai said, while US law bans the capture of wild cetaceans. What is the difference between keeping dolphins and keeping elephants? Are elephant keepers any better than dolphin keepers? If they are so much concerned about animals, just free the animals.

This is the way it is going. Zoos as we know them today will be a thing of the past. Japan will probably be one of the last countries in the world to still have aquariums and zoos.

You can judge the character and heart of a country simply by looking at how they treat their animals.

theeastisredMay. 01, 2015 - 01:08PM JST

Didn't you read the article?

European members of WAZA do not keep dolphins, Nagai said, while US law bans the capture of wild cetaceans.

What is the difference between keeping dolphins and keeping elephants? Are elephant keepers any better than dolphin keepers?

If they are so much concerned about animals, just free the animals.

While only a few weeks ago I watched a dolphin performance at the Niigata City Aquarium, I must say they're no longer a real attraction. Let them be free; I doubt they'd capture us for stunt performances. And eating them is disgusting.

So... you went to a dolphin show, did you, TrevorPeace?

CH3CHO:

It sounds hypocritical to me that Western Zoos that keep animals for profit preach cruelty.

If they are so much concerned about animals, just free the animals.

Didn't you read the article?

European members of WAZA do not keep dolphins, Nagai said, while US law bans the capture of wild cetaceans.

"Nagai said WAZA had not so far been able to provide an internationally accepted scientific definition of cruelty—a key charge for opponents of the Taiji hunt."

If it were not Japanese committing the brutal killings he'd be able to see the cruelty immediately. Instead he feels this is an attack on them, and is 'puzzled'. This is usual Japan-speak for when they are caught with their hands in the cookie jar and just can't bring themselves to admit it. Good choice by WAZA. Keep them out until they comply, same as you should any other member who does likewise.

Until everybody stops paying to see dolphins in tanks nothing will change. It is not an attraction! It is a cruel disgrace! Every oceanarium in the world should be closed! The Taiji hunt is justified by culture, but it's personified by profit. People admit that there is no demand for the meat and the largest part of the profit comes from oceanarium sales. Just stop!

After reading the WAZA press release, it's obvious to me that the people at JAZA are either thicker than thick or as duplicitous as the folk at the ICR. Maybe both.

According to WAZA, this is not a sudden, out-of-the-blue decision likely to take anyone by surprise (unless they are thicker than thick); negotiations over acquisition policies have been going on for years. JAZA fiddled about with some guideline changes, but outright refused to stop taking animals from the bloody Taiji drives.

Which is sad, because without the lucrative and totally non-traditional trade in pretty young animals for show, the drives to provide 'traditional' mercury-laced meat for school dinners would probably die a quick, painless and natural death from lack of funding.

http://www.waza.org/en/site/pressnews-events/press-releases/waza-council-votes-to-suspend-japanese-association-of-zoos-and-aquariums-jaza

WAZA “requires all members to adhere to policies that prohibit participating in cruel and non-selective methods of taking animals from the wild,” the organisation said last week,

Why is Japan puzzled? Seems pretty clear to me -- zoos are for creating an environmnet where people learn to respect the value of animal species, and it is hypocrtical to allow members that do not adhere to that code.

Kensho Nagai, JAZA executive director, said: “We are puzzled at the WAZA announcement, because we’ve been discussing the issues and we’ve taken WAZA’s advice” on improving the manner of capture.

Oh, there's the confusion. Japan thought they could get away with the usual "discussing the issues", and promises to "improve". Guess WAZA saw thrugh that BS.

We annually take about 20 dolphins from Taiji...

The fact that the aquariums need this many on yearly basis makes me think they're not very good at keeping them alive. Another reason not to keep them in the first place.

I'm puzzled that JAZA cannot understand that supporting the Taiji dolphin hunt is "participating in cruel and non-selective methods of taking animals from the wild". The people at JAZA must be a bit thick.

The truth shall set them free. One day.

JeffLee,

Surely you joke, yes?

Seriously? No idea why? Really? someone has to point it out too you?

It sounds hypocritical to me that Western Zoos that keep animals for profit preach cruelty.

If they are so much concerned about animals, just free the animals.

Townsfolk say the hunt is for dolphin meat, which they say is a traditional part of their diet.

That old chestnut

"Captivity is a plague,"

I don't know about that. They get free food and accommodation, kept safe from predators and are assigned a staff of minders. I don't think it's too much to ask that they jump thru a few hoops, etc. for the punters.

Captivity is a plague, once you embrace it, you will never understand or appreciate true freedom.

“We will discuss whether to stop receiving dolphins from Taiji at our general assembly next month,” he said.

Progress.

Nagai said WAZA had not so far been able to provide an internationally accepted scientific definition of cruelty—a key charge for opponents of the Taiji hunt.

What does science have to do with cruelty? So people in this country have no more common sense? Get a fricking dictionary to look up the definition of cruelty.Maybe they need scientists to tell them what J. did during the war was actually very bad and cruel,maybe then the leaders will use the word "sorry".

With Cleo here. If they are asking for concrete definitions on cruelty then it is all just about finding loopholes and operating as close to the redline as possible.

Considering the disgusting condition of some of the animals (especially monkeys) in Japanese zoos, I'm not surprised they're so clueless.

Good, now throw Japan out of all other business associations until Taiji and the "research" whaling ends.

Nagai said WAZA had not so far been able to provide an internationally accepted scientific definition of cruelty

If you don't know cruelty when you see it, you have no business working with animals.

Puzzled? Really?

"Kensho Nagai, JAZA executive director, said: “We are puzzled at the WAZA announcement, because we’ve been discussing the issues and we’ve taken WAZA’s advice” on improving the manner of capture."

Evidently Mr. Nagai is unable to make a connection with mass-killing that turns the water red with blood. However he tries to rationalize it his organization is associated with Taiji's brutal butchering of dolphins.

Just stop. While only a few weeks ago I watched a dolphin performance at the Niigata City Aquarium, I must say they're no longer a real attraction. Let them be free; I doubt they'd capture us for stunt performances. And eating them is disgusting.