Killing Whales for Scientific Research

How come this applies only to whales?I don't see other endangered species being killed for research..Just imagine if the Chinese were killing Pandas as part of their research just what the furore would be.So why doesn't Japan get the picture?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/7232239.stm

[TheNorm]

I don't want to put my head on the chopping block, but here goes...

How is whaling any different from slaughtering cattle, sheep, pigs, or hunting wild deer?

Perhaps the only difference is that fact that one is acceptable in Britain and whaling is not (although it used to be).

Originally Posted by TheNorm

I don't want to put my head on the chopping block, but here goes...

How is whaling any different from slaughtering cattle, sheep, pigs, or hunting wild deer?

Perhaps the only difference is that fact that one is acceptable in Britain and whaling is not (although it used to be).

Cows and pigs are not endangered species.Neither are many of our deer.

Originally Posted by TheNorm

I don't want to put my head on the chopping block, but here goes...

How is whaling any different from slaughtering cattle, sheep, pigs, or hunting wild deer?

Perhaps the only difference is that fact that one is acceptable in Britain and whaling is not (although it used to be).

Cattle are not in danger of becoming extinct. If they were, things would be different. We protect a great many endangered species from being hunted. Whales deserve no less than rhinos, siberian tigers, etc.

The real issue here is that there is a market for whale meat in Japan backed by a very powerful industry lobby that the Japanese government doesn't want to upset. They need to be seen to be doing as much as they can to ensure the market continues to be supplied, and doing 'research' that, coincidentally, results in the deaths of large numbers of whales, is their solution.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Cows and pigs are not endangered species.Neither are many of our deer.

I don't agree with Japanese whaling, but if you look at the BBC In Depth guide to whales, the Minke whale is described as 'lower risk' with about 450,000 in the Southern Hemisphere, and Japan is planning to catch 950.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Cows and pigs are not endangered species....

Originally Posted by Chris T

Cattle are not in danger of becoming extinct.....

OK, it is the "endangered species" that is the focus of your concern, not slaughter of mammals. Apologies.

In that case, it does seem a bit hypocritical to point fingers abroad when we have problems at home. For example:

The corncrake is on the UK’s red list of birds of high conservation concern. The biggest threat it faces is mowing – up to 60% of corncrake chicks are killed when fields are mowed...

...The horseshoe bat is listed in the government’s biodiversity action plan and is one of the rarest mammals in the UK....

...at one stage in the 1980s it was believed there were as few as 100 field crickets left in the wild. Without intervention, it was feared they would become extinct in the UK....

...The European otter is classed as "vulnerable to extinction". Its main threat comes from humans, through habitat destruction, pollution and traffic....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...ture=330112716

Originally Posted by Aragorn

I don't agree with Japanese whaling, but if you look at the BBC In Depth guide to whales, the Minke whale is described as 'lower risk' with about 450,000 in the Southern Hemisphere, and Japan is planning to catch 950.

The population figure is a bit meaningless without some paramaters ... how many mature breeding pairs? How long from birth to maturity? Length of life cycle?

Japan may only be catching 950, but if the population doesn't grow by that much this year, there will be a net decrease. And if, as we expect, they seek to use their 'research' to claim the population is in rude health and commercial whaling can resume, how many whales per year might be caught then?

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by Chris T

The population figure is a bit meaningless without some paramaters ... how many mature breeding pairs? How long from birth to maturity? Length of life cycle?...

So more scientific research is needed. QED.

Originally Posted by TheNorm

In that case, it does seem a bit hypocritical to point fingers abroad when we have problems at home.

It's a common fallacy to suggest that focusing on one issue implies ignorance of, or lack of concern for, another. This is a discussion forum, we operate (mostly) single-topic discussion threads. You could start up a topic on any of those animals if you like.

You might as well claim I have no interest in the climate change issue just because I've not sold my car and reverted to subsistence farming.

---------- Post added at 15:48 ---------- Previous post was at 15:47 ----------

Originally Posted by TheNorm

So more scientific research is needed. QED.

Greenpeace would agree with you. They just don't think it's necessary to kill the whales in the pursuit of that 'research'.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by Chris T

It's a common fallacy to suggest that focusing on one issue implies ....

Hey, I'm not advocating whaling (or corncrake-mowing, for that matter). I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the issue. What, precisely, is the objection to whaling?

I suspect it has a lot more to do with cultural differences that a genuine concern for the marine environment.

Originally Posted by TheNorm

OK, it is the "endangered species" that is the focus of your concern, not slaughter of mammals. Apologies.

In that case, it does seem a bit hypocritical to point fingers abroad when we have problems at home. For example:



http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...ture=330112716

The Japanese are killing an endangered species and claiming they are doing so for research purposes.The animals you have referred to in that link are not being killed by the scientists trying to protect them under the guise of research purposes.They are being killed by the the way we live our lives and not for food usage.I'm just pointing out that it flies in the face of what is accepted conservation policy to 'deliberately' kill that which you are protecting from endangerment.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

The Japanese are killing an endangered species and claiming they are doing so for research purposes....

Actually, a large number of survey methods are used, many of which cause no apparent harm to the whales. More information can be found here: http://www.icrwhale.org/sightingsurvey.htm

[Taf]

I think the first thing the Japanese should do is not land any of the "specimens" in port but destroy them at sea making them unfit for human consumption.

When that happens I would start to believe their "scientific" ideas...

[injuneer]

Surely one Whale is much like another, I wonder why they have to kill so many for "research". Of course we all know it isn't. I did read that the Japanese demand for Whale meat is declining, mainly among the younger population.
Whale meat again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know Whale meat again some sunny day.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by injuneer

...Whale meat again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know Whale meat again some sunny day.

Calm down, Vera!