Scientific Research Results from Japan's Lethal Whaling Program: Whales Eat Krill

Japan may never know if whales truly eat krill

Japan has released its 2009 cetacean research findings after killing dozens of whales for the study. Japan, which asserts that it must conduct fatal whaling for necessary scientific research, killed 59 Minke whales off its coast this year for the scientific program. And the conclusion of this year's Japanese whaling program is that whales eat krill.

Because no one in Japan's scientific community knew that or asked anyone else on earth.

It is, however, arguable whether or not this year's findings have more scientific merit than Japan's 2008 whaling research findings. In 2008, Japan announced - after stating it had to kill hundreds of whales for this research - that injecting dead whale sperm into a cow egg does not result in a half-whale-half-cow monster creature.

Permalink

• 1.

  Comment by Ty on October 23, 2009 10:24am:

  Shocking! How could we humans not have known this before? Whales eat krill?! HERESY!
  
  Japan is making a mockery out of all those opposed to whaling. With such pathetic results from their conducted 'research' how is it possible that people still agree with Japans actions, and think that the lethal 'research' must still continue for more groundbreaking and valid results such as this? They kill barbariously and needlessly in a world that doesn't require any form of scientific results brought on by the death of a being. Go home, Japan. You are breaking the law and not wanted in ANY waters. The brutal and torturous murder of these intelligent and sentient beings must be stopped before the oceans die, and us with it.
• 2.

  Comment by HerbertWest on October 23, 2009 7:53pm:

  So, the question is finally answered: whales and cows cannot breed. While these results are disappointing, I wonder if it would be reasonable to expand this research to dolphins, or perhaps manatees? Since they are closer in size to cows, perhaps the prospect of hybrids is better.
• 3.

  Comment by Dave Head on October 23, 2009 7:58pm:

  Japan's continued and expanded program of scientific whaling is inconsistent with its obligations under the Law of the Sea Convention, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling Convention, the Convention on the
  Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), and the Convention on Biological Diversity to protect and preserve the marine environment, to protect rare and fragile ecosystems and endangered species, to prepare environmental impact assessments when changes to the marine
  environment are likely to be caused by its activities, and to refrain from claiming resources under the guise of marine scientific research.
  This program is not legitimately "scientific" because it has not been peer-reviewed and does not have precise quantifiable goals. It is inconsistent with Japan's obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity because reduces the sustainability of whale species and has
  "adverse impacts on biological diversity."
  It is unquestionably an abuse of right because it invokes Article VIII of the Whaling Convention in a manner
  that certainly was unanticipated by the framers of the Convention and has been repeatedly condemned by the majority of the other contracting parties to the Convention.
  Japan's actions can be challenged by concerned states in the International Court of Justice or through the dispute resolution procedures of the Law of the Sea
  Convention and the conciliation procedures of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Plus other irregularities.
  But no anti-whaling Government has the 'balls' to take any such action! It's trade or whales -guess which wins? So stop buying Japanese -our own trade ban