The document summarizes dolphin hunting operations in Taiji, Japan. It describes how Taiji is known as a whaling town with a tradition of hunting dolphins and whales dating back centuries. Every year from September to April, dolphins are captured, slaughtered for their meat, and sold, though most Japanese do not consume dolphin meat. Around 2,300 dolphins of Japan's annual quota of 20,000 are killed using sound disruption techniques to herd them into a cove for slaughter. The operations are controversial due to their scale and impact on dolphin populations, as well as risks of mercury poisoning from eating dolphin meat.

1. Dolphin hunting operations
in Taiji, Wakayama, Japan
Presented by Jake Jones

2. • Taiji is a small town in Higashimuro
District, Wakayama, Japan
– Primarily known as a Whaling town.
– Japanese traditional whaling techniques were created here
going back as the late 17th century.
– To this day, the capturing and killing of dolphins remains as a
major source of income and food for the citizens of Taiji.

3. This is where it all goes down.

4. • The dolphin hunting operations
begin in September and end in
April every year.
• The dolphins and whales are
captured then slaughtered for
their meat and sold all around
Japan from local grocery stores
to aquariums.
• Even though the hunts are
mainly for the meat, most
Japanese people do not even eat
dolphin or whale meat, resulting
in a surplus.

5. This is the largest scale
dolphin slaughter in the
world and unfortunately very
few of us know about it.
• 2,300 of Japans annual
quota of 20,000 dolphins
will be captured.
• Fishermen go after
groups and use poles to
bang under water to
disrupt the dolphins
hypersensitive sonar as
they trap them back into
the cove.

6. Mercury Poisoning
• Researchers even discovered high amounts of
mercury in the whale and dolphin meat
currently being distributed around
Japan.
• This is poisoning the local
towns people and is a big
issue in Japan

7. • Some may argue they are keeping the population
stable but never should a operation of this
magnitude occur.
• Another reason this happens is because it is the
Japanese keeping one of their old traditions.

8. • A 5 year filmed secret documentary of the
capturing and slaughtering of dolphins and
whales that takes place every year in Taiji.
• They used high tech video and sound equipment
to get recordings of these gruesome acts.
• After the release of the movie more and more
activists appeared at the cove to protest and
record the slaughtering's, all while the fishermen
started putting up tarps to conceal it all.