Japanese Whale Research Falls Short

Scientific research is a tough business, and it is always tough to find the right evidence for your research. Gaining access to archaeological sites, genetic testing in animals, evidentiary samples; it’s a tough gig. So when a scientific endeavor falls short, it’s always sad.

Usually.

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This time, however, the fact that the Japanese whaling scientific fleet only managed to kill 551 whales in its annual hunt voyage, is a blessing.

An official for the Japanese Fisheries Agency said Monday that due to repeated “sabotage”, they were only able to capture 551 whales. “We caught 551 minke whales, far below our original target,” he said. “Sabotage by activists is a major factor behind our failure to achieve our target.”

Everyone together now. Awwwwww.

We’ve covered over the past few months the efforts of Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd, and the international pressure headed up by Australia.

Even better news, despite the 551 that were captured, the fleet was unable to find a single fin whale. The plan to catch 50 fin whales was halted due partly to the anti-whaling campaigners. “Sabotage is not entirely to blame for that. There was a situation where few fin whales were spotted,” the official said.

Photo © Greenpeace / Naomi Toyoda

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