UNESCO is the ‘Educational, Scientific & Cultural organisation’ of the United Nations. They operate a ‘Global GeoParks’ program which seeks to protect and promote areas of outstanding natural beauty around the world so that we may preserve and appreciate them for generations to come.
One such area is the Izu Peninsula of Japan. However, it has come to our attention that cruel and barbaric dolphin driving is set to resume here. Whereas previous dolphin hunts have been permitted here for food, it is thought that this new round of hunting is a response to supply the demand for wild dolphins to the rapidly growing marine park entertainment industry in China.
This new entertainment industry is already worth billions of dollars, with millions flocking to new marine parks each year. Conditions for captive dolphins there are bleak, and previously wild dolphins are forced to live in tiny tanks and perform degrading tricks.
That is why for this letter, we have come together not only with our friends in Japan the Animal Rights Centre and PEACE – but also with the China Cetacean Alliance , a group of global NGOs with expertise in cetacean welfare.
Our letter, signed by 213 organisations, has been sent to the relevant department of the GeoParks project to let them know that the ideas of appreciating the beauty of nature whilst simultaneously allowing inhabitants of that beautiful nature to be sold for entertainment in mainland China are far out of step with one another.