Our campaign

The facts
Between 2000 and 2004 over 6,000 dolphins and small whales were killed in drive hunts in Taiji, Japan. Nearly 250 dolphins were taken alive.

Drive hunts ended in another drive hunt town, Futo, in 1999 only to restart in 2004 in response to the demand for live animals for the captivity industry. That year, over 100 dolphins were driven into Futo harbour, 14 were selected by 6 different aquaria, 5 were slaughtered. At least 4 others died of suffocation or shock.

Life in captivity
Live capture and confinement in a tank or enclosure can shorten the life of any dolphin. Their death rates shoot up six times in their first five days of confinement.

In drive hunts, some dolphins die before they even reach the aquarium for which they have been chosen.

Even those that survive those first few crucial days can suffer significantly shortened lives and many are held in appallingly inadequate conditions.

Our campaign
WDCS is fighting to end these hunts. We’ve launched a new report and short film to document the link between the hunts and the aquarium industry in Japan and other countries. We also support education initiatives in Japan, and investigate, research and publicise the truth about the hunts, as well as fighting for international action to end the hunts.

Please help our campaign by clicking on the links opposite.

Please note that some people may find the images in the film and report disturbing.

How you can help