Sea Shepherd explains some will be slaughtered, others will be taken captive

Jan 18, 2014 19:46 GMT  ·  By
Sea Shepherd says over 250 bottlenose dolphins have been rounded up in the Taiji cove in Japan
   Sea Shepherd says over 250 bottlenose dolphins have been rounded up in the Taiji cove in Japan

Yesterday, green group Sea Shepherd wrote on its website that Japanese fishermen had herded over 250 bottlenose dolphins in the Taiji cove and were getting ready to slaughter some of the animals and pick and choose which of them to take captive.

The organization details that the bottlenose dolphins targeted by the Japanese fishermen belonged to five different pods, and that some of the marine mammals that were rounded up were juveniles or calves.

Besides, members of the green group who witnessed the herding of the dolphins say that a very rare albino specimen was also swimming in the Taiji cove.

“Five separate pods of Bottlenose dolphins were driven into Taiji’s infamous killing cove yesterday and held overnight,” Sea Shepherd says.

“This now massive pod of more than 250 dolphins includes babies and juveniles, including a rare albino calf who has been clinging as closely as possible to his or her mother in the stress and panic of the drive hunt,” it adds.

According to The Guardian, this latest pod that was rounded up in the cove is the largest in several years.

The publication further details that most of the animals will be slaughtered for their meat, which is expected to sell for several million dollars.

Of the over 250 bottlenose dolphins, very few will escape with their lives. Even if they are not slaughtered, they will spend the rest of their lives swimming around in tanks at various facilities.

“It will be a total of 19 hours before the dolphins will be selected for captivity. Those not selected will be slaughtered for human consumption. This pod is far too valuable and worth millions of dollars. The baby albino dolphin alone is quite priceless,” Sea Shepherd reportedly said in a statement.

More information concerning the fate of the 250 bottlenose dolphins is expected to soon hit the public eye, so stay tuned.