The Taiji Twelve
Encyclopedia
The Taiji Twelve is a term used by anti-dolphin hunting campaigners to describe a group of dolphin
s captured in a dolphin drive hunt outside of the town of Taiji, Wakayama
, Japan in October 2006. The Ocean World Adventure Park in the Dominican Republic
had placed an order for twelve dolphins for the captive swim program.
Following the beginning of a drive hunt in 2006, The Ocean World Adventure Park was awaiting the fulfillment of an order for twelve dolphins to ship to the Dominican Republic. These dolphins were intended for various swimming programs at the Ocean World Adventure Park. After the dolphins were driven into the cove, trainers from Japan, the United States, and the Dominican Republic waded in, took hold of certain dolphins, and performed measurements and tests to determine if they were acceptable. The trainers were looking for twelve young females to fill the order. After the twelve were identified, they were separated and placed in holding cages, after which other dolphins of the pod were slaughtered for commercial purposes.
Although most of the dolphins captured were earmarked for export, a coalition headed by the Japan Dolphins Coalition's marine-mammal specialist Richard O'Barry
, with Earth Island Institute
, tried to block their export to Dominican Republic. The exportation was eventually cancelled.
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s captured in a dolphin drive hunt outside of the town of Taiji, Wakayama
Taiji, Wakayama
is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan.As of 1 January 2011, the town has an estimated population of 3,225 and a population density of 541 persons per km². The total area is 5.96 km². Taiji is the smallest local government by area in Wakayama Prefecture because, unlike others,...
, Japan in October 2006. The Ocean World Adventure Park in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
had placed an order for twelve dolphins for the captive swim program.
Following the beginning of a drive hunt in 2006, The Ocean World Adventure Park was awaiting the fulfillment of an order for twelve dolphins to ship to the Dominican Republic. These dolphins were intended for various swimming programs at the Ocean World Adventure Park. After the dolphins were driven into the cove, trainers from Japan, the United States, and the Dominican Republic waded in, took hold of certain dolphins, and performed measurements and tests to determine if they were acceptable. The trainers were looking for twelve young females to fill the order. After the twelve were identified, they were separated and placed in holding cages, after which other dolphins of the pod were slaughtered for commercial purposes.
Although most of the dolphins captured were earmarked for export, a coalition headed by the Japan Dolphins Coalition's marine-mammal specialist Richard O'Barry
Ric O'Barry
Richard "Ric" O'Barry is an American first recognized in the 1960s for capturing and training the five dolphins that were used in the well-known TV series Flipper. O'Barry made a radical transition from training dolphins in captivity to assertively combating the captivity industry soon after...
, with Earth Island Institute
Earth Island Institute
The Earth Island Institute was founded in 1982 by environmentalist David Brower. It organizes and encourages activism around environmental issues and provides public education. Funding comes from individual members and supporting organizations...
, tried to block their export to Dominican Republic. The exportation was eventually cancelled.