Oppose the point of killing whales to study

New Zealand and Australian scientists next month will conduct a survey of Antarctic whales to study the impact of climate change on these aquatic mammals and refute the point. of Japan that whales must be killed for scientific research.

New Zealand's National Water and Atmospheric Research Institute (Niwa) will provide the Tangaroa scientific research vessel to bring 18 experts to the Ross Sea in Antarctica according to a joint initiative of the New Zealand and Australian Governments.

This 42-day trip is the first "non-killing" study conducted in the Ross Sea.

Keiko whale.

In this survey, scientists will take pictures, use satellite navigation devices and darts to collect the whales' genetic samples they encounter.

The main priorities are humpback whales, blue whales and spearhead whales, but the survey team will also study more of the South Asian whale and whales.

The information collected will be used to study the genetic heritages of elephants and their migration practices.

Another goal of the survey is to refute the basis of the whaling program that Japan is conducting in Antarctica.

Japanese hunting ships are currently available in the Southern Ocean, where they catch up to 1,000 whales each year under a scientific research program for this giant mammal.

Along with New Zealand, Australia is a strong opponent of whaling hunting and has repeatedly threatened international legal action against Japan if Tokyo does not end its whale research program.

However, recently, Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada confirmed in an interview that the country has no plans to end hunting the whales in Antarctica.

Under international regulations, Japan is allowed to hunt whales for scientific research, although there has been a commercial ban on whale fishing since 1986.

However, whale meat not used for research is sold to consumers in Japan, which critics say is the real reason for whale hunting.