Dolphin cull at Japan’s ‘Killer Cove’

The annual dolphin cull in Taiji, Japan, which has been documented in a new film, The Cove
  
  


Dolphins in Japan: Taiji, Japan. Dolphin hunting is a prominent industry in the town
Dolphin hunting continues to be a prominent industry in the town of Taiji, a small fishing village about 248 miles west of Tokyo, sparking protests from international conservation groups Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Giant whale models mark the entrance to the centre of Taiji in Japan
Giant whale models mark the entrance to the centre of Taiji in Japan Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Bottlenose dolphins and short-finned pilot whales swim in the cove
About 100 bottlenose dolphins and short-finned pilot whales swim at sunrise in the cove that is at the centre of a controversial film The Cove, due for release in the UK next month. The captured dolphins were the first catch of the season at Taiji Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Bottlenose dolphins swim around a shallow, netted-off section of the cove
Bottlenose dolphins swim around a shallow, netted-off section of the cove Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Blood in the water at 'killer cove' in picturesque Taiji, Japan
Blood in the water at "killer cove" in picturesque Taiji. The first dolphin slaughter of the year was marked on 10 September Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: A fisherman tows away what appear to be pilot whales
A fisherman tows away what appear to be pilot whales tied by rope to the front of his boat, at the cove Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Fisheries workers guide what appear to be pilot whales at a cove
Fisheries workers guide what appear to be pilot whales at the cove Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: The discarded body of what may be a baby bottlenose dolphin floats
What appears to be the discarded body of a baby bottlenose dolphin floats upside down Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: A fisherman hoses down his boat, transporting pilot whale carcasses
A fisherman hoses down the deck of his boat, transporting carcasses of what appear to be pilot whales, which are members of the dolphin family Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: A fisheries worker guides what appear to be pilot whales at a cove
A fisheries worker guides what appear to be pilot whales at the cove Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: A fisheries worker laughs while standing in bloody waters of 'killer cove'
A fisheries worker laughs while standing in the bloody waters of "killer cove", a steel implement in his right hand, and part of a dolphin in the other Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Green and blue tarpaulins contrast with dolphins' blood in the water
Green and blue tarpaulins contrast with dolphins' blood in the water after the season's first slaughter. Under increasing international pressure following the release of a film documenting the capture and slaughter of dolphins in the town, the fishermen now conceal their work from the public by fixing tarpaulin across the so-called "killer cove" Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: A man looks at the dolphin meat and other sashimi products at a supermarket
A man looks at the dolphin meat and other sashimi products at a supermarket in Taiji, Japan. A small 250g block of short fin dolphin meat sells for about 1,200 yen (£8) at the supermarket Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Whale meat sashimi is served with fresh ginger at a hotel in Taiji
Whale meat sashimi is served with fresh ginger at a hotel in Taiji Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Slices of dolphin meat arranged on a plate
Slices of dolphin meat arranged on a plate Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: A fountain outside the whaling museum in Taiji
A fountain outside the whaling museum in Taiji. Whale and dolphin meat can be found on sale at the town's supermarket while a variety of whale meat cuisine can be sampled at its restaurants Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Preserved specimens of dolphins at the whaling museum
Preserved specimens of dolphins at various stages of early development are displayed at the whaling museum in Taiji Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
Dolphins in Japan: Visitors walk around the whaling museum in Taiji
Visitors walk around the whaling museum in Taiji, where Japan's traditional whaling methods are said to have originated Photograph: Robert Gilhooly
 

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