Hey everyone! Sorry about the lack of consistent updates! I finally have some updates, videos and information to share! I'm going to start off with some videos since everyone loves moving pictures!

The latest news, on top of the slaughters that have taken place so far, is that one bottlenose dolphin, out of the 7-10 that were captured, was selected for a life in captivity in a swim with dolphins program in Taiji. The rest of the pod was released. No family should have to be separated like that.

As always, I have included some links and information for you to check out that will help you actively contribute to bringing a stop to the horror.

Save Japan Dolphins
Please share this page with as many people as you can. It has accurate information that is really well presented. There is also a blog that is kept up to date with photos as well.

Facebook Pages
Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians
Save Misty the Dolphin
End Killer Whale Captivity
No-Whales In-Captivity
Facebook may be one of the fastest ways for us to share information. Please check out some of the following groups/pages and share the posts you see their on your pages. Let's spread this information to as many people as we can!

If you have any links or information to share, please reply to this post and I will check them out and add them to the list!

I also have an address/phone/fax for the hotel thanks to Save Misty the Dolphin/Cove Guardians!

Hotel Dolphin Resort
703-15 Moriura, Taiji-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture 649-5172, Japan
Tel: +81 0735 59 3514
Fax +81 0735 59 2810 

According to End Killer Whale Captivity, an orca has just been captured in Russia. Apparently there were two but one has since died. I've used a translator on a couple of Russian forums and it looks like the whales were intended to be sold to another facility. The whales were caught in August as far as I can see.

PLEASE! If you have more information on this I would really appreciate a reply or an email! I will keep researching and keep you all updated on the status of this unfortunate situation!

There will be a protest held outside the Vancouver Aquarium on October 7th, 2012 between 11am and 2pm. Everyone is welcome to come and hold banners and hand out flyers. This protest is specifically relating to cetaceans in captivity.

I will be appearing as the Vancouver Mermaid as well to protest.

If you can't make it, I would be very grateful if you sent a polite email to the Vancouver Aquarium asking them to stop their plans to bring in more captive cetaceans. Thank-you!

http://www.vanaqua.org/contact 

Thanks for taking the time to read through my massive post! I will do my best to be a little bit more regular when it comes to posting information to avoid so much text.

Keep swimming!

It's that time of the year again... I've been dreading this post knowing what's coming for 20,000+ cetaceans this year in Taiji. So what I'm going to do is give you guys some statistics and info along with links, videos, petitions and other information that you can share. I figure it's best if it's all in one place to make it easier since this can get pretty depressing pretty quick.

I know how upsetting all of this is and I know this is going to be a long post, but please try to make it to the end. These dolphins desperately need our help!

I've rated the footage based on how graphic I find them to give you fair warning when you are watching/sharing them. *= Some gore and blood, *****= Horrifying beyond belief. Of course all of this footage is heart breaking and horrifying, so it's hard to rate, but here they are anyway.

I have collected this information off of various websites, all of which can be found on our Resources page and many of which I will list below this post. I will list these in point form to make it easiest to digest and share with others.

• 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and small whales are slaughtered each year in Japan.
• The slaughter starts on September 1st and generally continues through to March of the following year.
• Cetaceans are herded into the cove where they are contained using nets.
  
• They are then stabbed and drowned.
  
• The meat is toxic as it contains very high levels of mercury and is not safe for human consumption.
  
• The more attractive dolphins are picked out and sold to amusement park aquariums around the world where they will spend the rest of their lives swimming in circles, performing tricks in a swimming pool prison.
• It is thanks to the purchase of these dolphins that this horrifying event continues. Dolphins sold to these marine parks sell for significantly more than those sold for meat.
  
• For the dolphins who didn't die from being stabbed or from being hauled by the tail into the bay (many drown this way) they meet their end when they are cut open and gutted.

Don't let anyone tell you there is nothing we can do. We all have a voice and if we have the will to make a change, it can be done. It must be done. That being said here is a list of ways you can get involved and show your support.

Become a Cove Guardian!
http://www.seashepherd.org/cove-guardians/

By a T-Shirt from SaveJapanDolphins.org!
http://www.ecojoia.com/index.php/stores/category/sjd/6

Sign Some Petitions!
These are just two that I've found, but there are many more if you search on Change.org!
http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter-in-taiji-japan
http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/stop-the-annual-slaughter-of-dolphins
http://www.causes.com/causes/331088-the-cove-save-japan-dolphins

Join the Peaceful Protests on Sept 1st!
Find out where the Japanese Embassy is where you live and look on facebook to find out if any peaceful protests will be held on Sept 1st.

Spread the Word!
Please spread the word! Tell anyone and everyone! Please encourage them to take 15 minutes out of their day to watch some of the videos I have provided and read up on some of the facts. Then encourage them to share the info!

Don't Visit Aquariums With Captive Cetaceans!!!
I can't stress this enough! Please don't visit these awful theme parks that keep whales, dolphins and porpoises captive! It's thanks to these places that the dolphin slaughter continues on! If they weren't funding it by buying the dolphins, it would be a lot easier to put a stop to this horror! Please encourage others to do the same!

Send Positive Energy
I know some of you will roll your eyes, but a lot of people (including myself) strongly believe that one can influence change by using their own energy. If you can, please take some time of your life over the next few months to be calm and send your positive vibes to those thousands of pour souls in Taiji who will die this year.

I would like to say a huge thank-you to those of you who made it all the way through my epic post. I know it's hard to digest, but I love you guys for trying. Please do whatever you can to help! Even the little things like sharing this site will help make a difference! Thanks so much!

Sincerely,
Courtney Mermaid