photocreditWhoa. Animal lovers, The Cove is an excellent documentary to watch, even if graphic. I feel the same way about Earthlings, but I know that movie is quite a feat if you're able to sit completely through it. This movie is less graphic, but very emotionally moving.
In a small fishing town on the coast of Japan, called Taiji, a small number of workers are killing 23,000 dolphins a year, distributing their meat illegally, and the government is helping to cover it all up. The documentary was organized by Ric Barry, who was the original trainer of the dolphin Cathy, more commonly known as Flipper. He spent 10 years of his life training "Flippers" and then had had it with the entire scene, did a 180, and has now spent 35 years of his life being a dolphin + marine mammal activist freeing them from captivity, and sticking up for them on political fronts.
I admit there are bigger issues than animal rights (slavery, child labor in poor countries, etc.) but this is still something we need to know about since we're charged to take proper & humane care of the animals (Gen 2, Prov. 12:10).
This cove in Japan was completely hidden from civilians therefore no one knew how they were brutally murdering as many dolphins as they could, from September to March every year.
The worst part about the entire thing, is that dolphins carry a lot of mercury in their bodies, and if people (Japanese people interviewed did not know of anyone who ate dolphins, it was not customary there) are eating this meat, they are literally poisoning themselves.
The government wanted to make dolphin meat compulsory in public school lunches and therefore passing this onto the children just because they had an abundance of the 'free' meat!
In Japan, the level for mercury in fish that can legally be sold has to be .4ppm (parts per million). In the dolphin meat it was 2000ppm!!
I was completely riveted by this short documentary and I'm quite glad I watched it. They even explained in great detail how and why these specific animals do not do well in captivity (Sea World, Swimming With Dolphins). I've never seen a dolphin in real life before but I couldn't help feel so sorry for these extremely smart animals that have been known to save humans. I'll admit, it's a tearjerker if you're an animal lover, but be brave, and get informed. It's movies with a conscience, like this, that help stop these controversial and often, illegal issues from spreading through mainstream culture.
4 Stars, y'all. Go watch. And really, isn't that shot of the deep sea diver swimming with the dolphins incredible?!
Comments