Captain Paul Watson has named the baby dolphin “Shoujo,” which is Japanese for “Bambi”

Jan 20, 2014 07:30 GMT  ·  By
Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson criticizes the dolphin hunt underway in Japan
   Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson criticizes the dolphin hunt underway in Japan

This past weekend, the news broke that some 250 dolphins had been herded by Japanese fishermen in the Taiji cove. As reported at that time, a rare albino bottlenose dolphin calf was part of this pod whose members were to either be slaughtered, or taken captive.

According to a commentary by Captain Paul Watson, i.e. the founder of green group Sea Shepherd, the Japanese fishermen in Taiji have separated the baby albino dolphin from its mom, and have most likely killed the latter.

By the looks of it, the rare bottlenose calf is currently held captive, and has high chances to soon be sold to folks working with or in the marine aquarium trade.

In his blogpost, which was published on the organization's website this past January 19, Captain Paul Watson details that the baby dolphin is a female.

Given the experiences the marine mammal has been through these past few days, Sea Shepherd's founder has decided to name it “Shoujo,” which is the Japanese name for “Bambi.”

“Shoujo is the Japanese name for Bambi. It simply means ‘girl’ and like Bambi this albino Bottlenose dolphin lost her mother, and also like Bambi she is a symbol of the destruction of innocence and beauty by a ruthless group of humans motivated by greed,” Captain Paul Watson explains.

“This little girl lost her mother when she was forcefully separated from her mother’s side and taken aside to be appraised by the prospective buyers from the marine aquarium trade, all of whom are eager to purchase the rare white dolphin to display at their facilities for the amusement of paying spectators,” he adds.

The conservationist goes on to argue that dolphins are highly intelligent creatures that do not deserve being slaughtered or put on display at various facilities around the world, and that, by treating them with such cruelty, the fishermen in Taiji are not only breaching moral conduct, but also bringing shame upon their country.

“In the name of human decency and for the sake of all future generations this shameful crime against nature and humanity must end,” Captain Paul Watson stresses.