The Taiji Five

Lisa and I were trying to piece together our first awareness of Taiji. In the file cabinet, Lisa found copies of her work including the incident when 10 orcas were driven into the cove back in February 1997. Five were selected for aquariums, the Taiji Five. She was working with Bob Chorush, Paul Spong and others at CFN (Cetacean Freedom Network) to craft letters and organize efforts to free this family. The story is tragic but it’s interesting to look back and see activists embrace the power of the internet and media. Lisa was interviewed in our home by KOMO TV and afterwards they sent a crew to Taiji for a firsthand account. It lead the local news for days. I wish we had a copy of the interview. Lisa came off great. The poor Japanese embassy spokesman looked confused. It was a small victory and nearly 14 year later, we’re still fighting to end the drive fisheries. It’s important to keep fighting. As Will Anderson said at the Japan Dolphin Day Protest in Seattle recently, This will end.

Here's a video showing the capture and updates from the ten year anniversary.

I am so impressed with these mammals. They are known to kill great white sharks and whales many times their own size yet they allow their captors to contain them and to violently separate them from their families. It makes me think of the nonviolent ways of Gandhi or the Dalia Lama. I wish the orcas and dolphins would fight back, but they are probably more spiritually evolved than I am.

Great news from the cove today, the boats came back empty!