Mystie comments

To 'bushlover'. All animals deserve respect, the same as we human animals believe that we do. Why should any species arrogantly think they can lord it over others? We have to share this planet, not plunder it.

There are certain groups of people who want to kill and eat anything that moves and breathes, they suffer from heart disease, diabetes and all kinds of cancers. Then there are those who have lived long healthy lives on a widely varied plant-based diet. They don't suffer from obesity and they enjoy lots of energy free from disease, many of them are even athletes. There, you learn something new every day.

They "cannot accept a proposal that discontinues our research hunting"? Well the civilized world cannot accept their archaic cruelty and sheer arrogance! Furthermore, 'research hunting' is an oxymoron. Which is it, 'research' or 'hunting', it cannot be both. However it is common knowledge that Japan kills whales for commercial profiteering because they have never published any findings from this so-called 'research' which has been going on for years. If they haven't discovered anything new by now, they are plain stupid and they obviously never will.

I say boycott all things made in Japan until these barbarians stop killing intelligent beings and breaking international laws.

The Japanese and Chinese buyers did not have the courage to be named.

"Over 44 tons will be sold in Botswana on Friday, while auctions next month will see 51 tons being offered in South Africa and almost 4 tons offered in Zimbabwe." Yet we're supposed to take their word for it, that all these animals died from natural causes. Not all your readers are that gullible. These animals will be extinct before we know it and then those who exploit them will be forced to think of more intelligent ways to make a living.

What is it with Asian countries and the exploitation of animals? You just can't help yourselves can you. If you're not illegally poaching whales you're killing something else. This is the twenty first century, do you not know that we no longer need to kill other sentient being to survive and live well? Wake up and evolve!