The past few days here in Taiji have been slaughter-free.. The boats have left the harbour at sunrise, and returned with nothing. I’ll say it once and I’ll repeat myself now, while there is all a cause for celebration of the absence of bloodshed here in Taiji, that doesn’t necessarily mean that there is nothing to be concerned about… As the numbers of migratory dolphins inevitably dwindle along the coasts of Japan (and other nations) should these slaughters continue, we will see an ever decreasing amount of dolphins passing by, and an ever increasing number of slaughter-free days here in Taiji.
What should be understood is that these dolphins don’t just have to consider the dolphin hunters of Taiji or wider Japan as their greatest threat- the fact is that these animals are now living in an ocean where they are lucky to survive to a mature age. With pollution, fishing nets and gear, chemical poisoning and many other threats- the last factor that these animals need is the threat of slaughter… this is something that mankind can stop. We are seeing a hugely decreased number of dolphins this season, and if things continue in our oceans then it is only a matter of time before we could be looking at yet another area that these beautiful animals have been wiped away from…
We have been busy in Taiji monitoring the other crucial factor in the slaughter issue- that of captivity. We have been monitoring the Risso’s dolphins captured only a few short days ago from the wild (with their family members killed before their eyes), as well as a very mentally ill Pilot Whale at Dolphin Base which has barely moved from his one corner of a sea pen in the entire two and a half weeks that I have been here for… We will update as we notice anything further from here on the ground.
If you’ve ever seen the documentary, Earthlings, then you will understand what I am saying and why, as you read the rest of this blog post. If you have seen the documentary but don’t understand, then perhaps you should take the time to re-watch it.
If you have never seen it, then I suggest that you not only watch it, but take notice and never, ever forget the lessons learnt throughout the 100 or so minutes it will take to gain possibly the most significant knowledge ever attainable- knowledge about the actions of mankind all over the world and compassion for the living beings we share this planet with. It will be the most valuable portion of your life that you could ever spend…
Understanding the basic laws of nature will be paramount to essentially ‘saving’ our planet, our animals and the children of tomorrow…
In today’s society, humankind have come so far away from these basic laws, that life on Earth is now threatened in a very real way. In 100 years, we have laid out so much destruction on Earth- both above and below water- that we risk completely losing anything that was once ‘natural’ forevermore. Animals, even if they are not subjected to direct interactions with mankind, are now adapting and evolving to suit the rapidly unnatural world that humans are inflicting. Fish in the ocean must now adapt to a chemically altered sea, land animals the world over must adapt to the countless ways in which we affect their lives… whether it be visible or not. In time, if things do not change, we may soon live in a world where there will be no ‘naturally’ occurring ecosystem, animal or plant left on Earth- we will live in a world which has become completely and irreversibly affected by humankind that there will be no turning back, no second chances.
Sometimes when I feel as though hope for the future of the natural world on Earth is fading I remind myself that, sooner or later, all humans will understand what we are doing to the planet. I just hold on to the hope that it won’t be too late- that we won’t be hearing in 50 years time from presidents and prime ministers over public announcements the world over, that we are in a dire crisis- there are no animals left in the sea, there are no animals left on land except those in laboratories, slaughterhouses and captive centres, the coral reefs of the world are gone, we are standing to lose over 66% of the oxygen we breathe from the atmosphere, and warfare, riots, looting and other chaos is running rampant over the world as people realise that they were lied to or kept in the dark about the effects of what humans have been doing to our natural world for centuries…
When in fact, the information and resources are there to find out what is happening and to educate yourself right now… we just have to look beyond what our governments and the media tell us. This may all seem like I am being a little drastic- but at the end of the day if things continue, people will look back in years to come and will ask “why wasn’t something more drastic done to prevent this?”
The question is, will mankind act fast enough and stand up before it really is too late to stop the ever growing effects of over-population, industrialisation, exploitation of animals for consumption, fashion, science and entertainment, habitat loss, ocean acidification… the list is almost never-ending.
I feel strongly that there is enough information out there already at the fingertips of anyone with access to a computer, television, radio, mobile phone etc- I feel that there is enough hope in the innocent minds of younger generations who, before being tainted by growing up in an unnatural world, show more compassion, understanding and acceptance toward other beings than most adults.
We just have to take the time to make the connection. Watch the movie ‘Earthlings’ below…
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For those of you who want to help us make a difference and have a hand at stopping the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, click here! Also- to help me in my mission to give a voice to the youth of the world, read all about my ‘In Our Hands’ project and PLEASE get involved!
You can follow my Facebook for more updates from Taiji and my journey… Also email me at pathtoprotect@hotmail.com with any comments or questions!
Thanks again for all the support guys!
On the path to protect,
Nicole.
Nicole McLachlan 
Your post is excellent Nicole! I just watched Earthling the trailer above and will start sharing it as an educational piece. I just returned from a trip to South Carolina and left feeling very discouraged. Many people I spoke with their had no regard for planetary health or human impact on our wildlife in our ocean’s and on land. I tried to educate where I could. Blogs like yours need to be shared and shared. Hopefully those that see our planet as nothing more than a resource will begin to learn that if we don’t support our planet, and all her creatures man will not survive on a seemingly dead planet. Thanks for all your dedication to saving the dolphins of Taiji and the our planet as a whole.
Great post! And thank you for what you’re doing there in Taiji on behalf of all of us who cannot go there ourselves. You are an inspiration.
Wow, this is an awesome Blog Nicole – thanks for sharing your thoughts and insight! Keep the fight, and I wish you nothing but safe travels, and safety during your stay in Taiji. Thanks for being such an inspiration to others, and having the open mind and willingness to work with people from every side of the situation. You are making a huge difference, even if some days it is hard to see.
Much respect,
Scott
Endearing blog, yes have seen Earthlings, and do not believe that anyone who watches this does not experience a profound change in their life. Its informative yes, but one of the most horrific films I have ever seen to date. I can only hope like yourself Nicole, that people ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ before its too late, if not already ;((