Australian TV Report Japanese Whalers Kill Baby Minke Whale

Video shows brutal whale torture

AUSTRALIAN Customs chiefs have finally released video footage showing the Japanese torture of whales as they are harpooned.

The disturbing proof of the cruel nature of Japan's "scientific research" - their justification for this year's slaughter of minke whales in the Southern Ocean - emerged today after The Advertiser revealed photos of a mother minke and baby being winched aboard a Japanese whaler.

Scientists say the calf was less than one year old.

The film was taken by an Australian ship monitoring the hunt - and until now the Government has been unwilling to release it.

See the horrific new footage below - warning, it is distressing.

Rock icon turned Envirnoment Minister Peter Garrett today said he was "sickened" by the slaughter - but believes the "distressing" photos will help build up global opposition to whaling.

"I guess when I saw the photos I just felt a bit of a sick feeling as well as a sense of sadness," Mr Garrett said.

"It's very disappointing. It's distressing when you think that it can take up to 15 minutes after a harpoon actually hits a whale for the whale to die.

"It's even sadder when you consider there's a calf involved."

Mr Garrett says the photos reinforce Australia's view that killing whales in the Southern Ocean is wrong.

"Images like this, that have been captured in the past, have been very powerful forces in building up global and world opinion on this issue," he said.

"This isn't about science. It isn't about research ... they're calling it science but really it's killing whales."

The horrific image is sure to further outrage the 93,000 Australians who have signed The Daily Telegraph/Today show online petition to stop whaling, which we will personally deliver to Japan in the coming weeks.

Exhausted and disoriented after a ruthless pursuit from high speed chaser ships, the whales caught on film this week were then shot with pointed harpoons, packed with explosives, to cause maximum damage.

Evidence of the horrific injuries inflicted by explosive harpoons can be seen on the side of the baby whale.

Showing the Japanese will stop at nothing to fulfill their bloody quota, the shocking images were captured by an Australian customs crew aboard the Oceanic Viking, which was trailing just metres away.

They are the first images from the surveillance operation, launched one month ago, and the first pieces of evidence collected in preparation for an international legal challenge to end the hunt for good.

Scientists say this baby minke looks to be at suckling age - an easy target for a cowardly harpoonist.

It is not known whether the animals were still alive as they were dragged by their tails aboard the Yuishin Maru.

By now they're fate is certain.

Just hours after this photo was taken, the two minkes were diced and carved, facing a degrading end in cold storage on board the mothership, Nisshin Maru.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO Steve Shallhorn said the photos were an illustration of the 'outrage' continuing in the southern ocean.

"These photos illustrate the outrage which is continuing in the southern ocean, "said Steve Shallhorn, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

"The Japanese are killing whales in a globally recognised sanctuary and don't care if they are mothers or infants.

"They just want to kill as many whales as possible," he said.

"It is commercial whaling disguised as research and I don't think anyone in Australia is fooled by the tag scientific research at all,'' he said.



Japan must stop its whale hunting now, for the good of the world and the Japanese people. This activity brings the people of Japan into such great disrepute with so many other countries.

호주 언론들은 일본의 포경선단이 과학 연구를 명목으로 어미 고래는 물론 어미 고래와 함께 있던 일년도 되지 않은 어린 새끼까지 죽음으로 내몰고 있다고 비난했다.

포경선단을 한 달 이상 쫓아온 호주 세관이 촬영해 공개한 사진에서는, 두 마리의 고래가 포획되어 포경선 안으로 잡아 끌려지고 있다.

호주 환경 장관은 “사진을 보고는 슬픔과 역겨움을 함께 느꼈다”고 말했고 호주 언론들은 일본이 과학적 연구 목적을 내세워 고래를 무차별 남획한 증거라고 보도했다.

한편 일본의 관리는 선동적인 사진이 대중을 호도하고 양국 간의 관계에 심각한 해를 끼칠 수 있다고 반박했다.

‘일본 고래류 연구소’ 측은 보도 자료를 내고 다양한 크기의 고래를 포획하고 있으며, 사진 속 고래들은 어미와 새끼 관계가 아님에도 호주 당국이 사실을 왜곡하고 있다고 주장했다.
호주 언론들은 일본의 포경선단이 과학 연구를 명목으로 어미 고래는 물론 어미 고래와 함께 있던 일년도 되지 않은 어린 새끼까지 죽음으로 내몰고 있다고 비난했다.

포경선단을 한 달 이상 쫓아온 호주 세관이 촬영해 공개한 사진에서는, 두 마리의 고래가 포획되어 포경선 안으로 잡아 끌려지고 있다.

호주 환경 장관은 “사진을 보고는 슬픔과 역겨움을 함께 느꼈다”고 말했고 호주 언론들은 일본이 과학적 연구 목적을 내세워 고래를 무차별 남획한 증거라고 보도했다.

한편 일본의 관리는 선동적인 사진이 대중을 호도하고 양국 간의 관계에 심각한 해를 끼칠 수 있다고 반박했다.

‘일본 고래류 연구소’ 측은 보도 자료를 내고 다양한 크기의 고래를 포획하고 있으며, 사진 속 고래들은 어미와 새끼 관계가 아님에도 호주 당국이 사실을 왜곡하고 있다고 주장했다.