Sea Turns Red With Blood As Dolphins Are Butchered In Japan

Horrendous footage has emerged that shows the reality of an annual dolphin hunt near the Japanese town of Taiji.

Seriously, if you're of a squeamish disposition, or are easily upset, this is perhaps not the thing you should be watching.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT

The fishermen herd the dolphins into a cove, before covering the area over with a set of canopies and then butchering the cetaceans.

This is an annual tradition in the area, and this year the seas ran red with the blood of 32 striped dolphins.

The video was filmed from a drone and, at one point during the incident, a dolphin breaks free and can be seen in the open water bleeding heavily.

It was captured by Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project, an organisation that aims to end the yearly hunt, in February earlier this year.

Basically the boats full of fisherman start to entrap the sea mammals and gather them all into a cove. They do this by lowering metal poles into the water and banging them with hammers.

This creates a wall of sound underwater that stops the dolphins from using their echo-location techniques and leaves them confused and disorientated.

Whilst they are in this state it becomes easier for them to be herded into the shallower waters, where the slaughter begins.

The fisherman then draw nets around the area and lower down canopies in an attempt to hide the actions that follow.

Naturally, the dolphins become incredibly distressed, but cannot escape by this point. Instead they throw themselves at the walls in a vain attempt to become free.

Once the beige tarpaulins are down, the divers move in.

Even the one that escapes the netting doesn't get far. Instead the boats drag the badly wounded creature back underneath the covers and - presumably - it goes the way of the others.

During the season of 2018/19, 234 striped dolphins were killed in this fashion, which is just over half of the allotted governmental quota of 450.

Over the whole season, which takes place between September and March, 556 dolphins in total were killed, and another 241 taken captive.

Despite the fact that these numbers are significantly lower - around 75 percent less - than they were 20 years ago, campaigners still want the whole thing to end.

Dolphin and whale numbers are down in the wild, but Japan also decided to restart commercial whaling earlier this year, despite a backlash from the international community.

It isn't yet clear how many whales have been slaughtered since the resumption in July.

Featured Image Credit: Ric O'Barry Dolphin Project

Topics: World News, Animals

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

@TPWagwim