Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to navigation
Minke whale on Japanese whaling ship
A minke whale on the deck of a Japanese whaling ship in 2014. Japan confirmed more than 300 were captured over the summer, in defiance of a UN legal decision that ruled so-called scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean was a front for commercial hunts. Photograph: Institute Of Cetacean Research/AFP/Getty Images
A minke whale on the deck of a Japanese whaling ship in 2014. Japan confirmed more than 300 were captured over the summer, in defiance of a UN legal decision that ruled so-called scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean was a front for commercial hunts. Photograph: Institute Of Cetacean Research/AFP/Getty Images

Japan confirms whales killed during 'scientific' expedition to Antarctica

This article is more than 8 years old

Four ships in the region also capture 333 minke whales, including pregnant females

Japan has confirmed whales were killed on its most recent “scientific” expedition in the Antarctic region.

Four survey ships from Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research were in the Antarctic region over a period of 115 days from 1 December last year.

The institute’s report said 333 minke whales were captured, including pregnant females.

Japan’s actions are in defiance of international criticism and despite a 2014 UN legal decision that ruled so-called scientific whaling activity in the Southern Ocean was a front for commercial hunts.

The Australian government has described Japan’s decision to resume whaling over the southern hemisphere summer as “deeply disappointing” and says it has raised concerns at the highest level of the Japanese government.

It had said it would consider sending a customs patrol vessel to the Southern Ocean as well as exploring options for legal action.

But conservation group Sea Shepherd said in February that the Japanese fleet had faced little or no scrutiny over the summer and Australia and New Zealand seemed unwilling to send a ship to intercept them.

More on this story

More on this story

  • Killer whales seen in river Clyde

  • UK killer whale died with extreme levels of toxic pollutants

  • Killer whales explain the mystery of the menopause

  • Tilikum and Granny are dead. Here’s why you should care about these killer whales

  • Big oil v orcas: Canadians fight pipeline that threatens killer whales on the brink

  • Whales are starving – their stomachs full of our plastic waste

  • SeaWorld decides to stop killer whale breeding program

  • Whale CSI: why sperm whales are washing up dead on British shores

  • We forced SeaWorld into the orca U-turn. What shall we do next?

Comments (…)

Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion

Most viewed

Most viewed