ANTI WHALING: Whales Japan

Join the swell of international pressure by sending
a virtual origami whale to the Japanese prime
Minister to ask him to stop whaling. Create your Whale

Please sign this petition to add your voice to those calling for a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary.

IFAW's Global Whale Ambassador, Pierce Brosnan speaks on behalf of the world's whales and in support of the International Fund for Animal Welfare's efforts on their behalf.

Sign Petition to Save Whales targeted to the International Whaling Commission

Whales are in trouble

Whales face increasing threats:

* Low Reproductive Rates: Whales have naturally low reproductive rates, making many species extremely vulnerable to increasing pressure from whaling.
* Chemical pollution: Modern-day contaminants flowing into all our oceans are literally polluting whales' tissues. Some whale die-offs and strandings are suspected to be caused by immune system failures that result from exposure to certain pollutants.
* Increasing Shipping and Fishing Traffic: Threats include being struck by ships and accidental entanglements in fishing gear.
* Noise Pollution: Marine mammals are highly sound-oriented creatures. Many whales and all dolphins rely on a form of biosonar known as echolocation to navigate, locate prey, avoid predators, communicate, and function in the ocean environment. Whales and dolphins can suffer not only hearing damage when exposed to loud noises, but also other physical and psychological harm. Activities such as oil and gas exploration, the raising and dismantling of oil rigs, active sonar and explosives testing by the military, the use of noisemakers to deter marine mammals from fishing nets and fish pens, marine experiments that involve the use of loud sounds, and the increasing level of engine noise from boat and ship traffic may have far-reaching and long-term debilitating effects on marine mammals, including increased stress and disruptive effects on their communication, social behavior and foraging habits.

With these kinds of pressures threatening the long-term viability of our oceans and their inhabitants, it is irresponsible to add even greater pressure on whales by hunting them for expensive cuts of meat. Yet the numbers of whales being killed now are among the highest since before the moratorium and continue to increase.

ANTI WHALING

Save the Whales

Whales are in trouble

What You Can Do