Japan Sets Out to Murder 1,000 Whales

Japan's whaling fleet set sail for the Antarctic, where it plans to capture and kill around 1,000 whales for "scientific" purposes - despite international protests.

For the first time, it plans to include around 50 humpback whales, which environmentalists say are still endangered.

It is feared that the Japanese will target the only White Humpback Whale in the world, named Migaloo.

A hard-line environmental group, Sea Shepherd, said Tuesday it planned to intercept Japan's whaling fleet in Antarctic waters as soon as possible.

An official with the group said its ship, Robert Hunter, was in dry dock preparing for a voyage to the Antarctic, and would sail from Melbourne on December 1st.

Japan argues that whale populations have recovered enough to allow a managed catch for scientific purposes - but much of the whale meat hauled in ultimately ends up on Japanese supermarket shelves.

There's no doubt about it - Japan is setting out for a voyage of murder. Fancy words won't change the facts.

I really hope they will be stopped. If you want to help out, you can donate to Sea Shepherd, or spread the word and don't let this atrocity pass you by.

>> Video coverage and updates of Japanese whaling

Amazing Video of Sperm Whales and their Cub

I just came across this marvelous video, showing Sperm Whales and their cub in Guam:

This video made me think that maybe there is still hope for us, and for nature. Maybe we CAN fix the damage we are doing to planet earth. It's amazing to see that beauty endures, despite of everything we do.

About Sperm Whales

The Sperm Whale is the largest of all toothed whales and is the largest toothed animal alive, measuring up to 18 metres (60 ft) long. The Sperm Whale is exceptional for its very large head, particularly in males, which is typically one-third of the animal's length.

Sperm Whales, along with bottlenose whales and elephant seals, are the deepest-diving mammals in the world.

They are believed to be able to dive up to 3 km (1.9 miles) in depth and 90 minutes in duration to the ocean floor. More typical dives are around 400 m (437 yards) in depth and 30–45 minutes' duration and generally move in a northerly direction. They can dive two miles deep with one gulp of air for two hours. They carry three tonnes of blood which holds enough oxygen to help it achieve its diving depth.