Asia's Getting on my Nerves

Like the title says, Asia is beginning to get on my nerves. Japan kills the dolphins in Taiji and is a whaling country. China is the cause for all of the sharks and large rays that are killed each year. Lastly, Korea as well as China beats dogs to death (in public) to release blood into the meat in the belief that if an animal suffers horrible pain before death that the meat will be tastier and of higher quality.

These things make me very mad and sad, but I know that not all people in these countries are like that and most are good people. But the ones who do do these things are bad people, although they may not know it.

This post can also be seen on my blog, They Need A Voice

Mantas and Mobulas

 

Beautiful aren't they? These creatures are called mobula rays, a 3-10 foot cousin to the 25-foot manta ray. They are known for leaping out of the water like dolphins. To see them in action, go to this address:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63ZtKgbQWZM

Sharks are not the only victims. The mobula and manta rays are also being killed for Chinese demand. Sharkfin and dried seafood traders are trying to get additional products to boost their profit. The rays' gill rakers are being traded to be used in a traditional and "unofficial" medicine tonic in China. To meet this demand, artisanal fisheries are turning into commercial fisheries. Manta and mobula ray populations can not take this pressure.  Like sharks, these creatures mature slowly in 15-20 years and have very few young, only one pup at up to six year intervals. These rays are more vulnerable than sharks and other rays and in just a few short years, regional populations have been wiped out. These animals are pulled from the sea with fishing nets or spears in the Philippines and Indonesia just to be slaughtered and have their gills cut out. More than 2,000 mantas are killed each year in Indonesia alone. That may not seem like a very big number but with animals as rare as mantas, it's a huge number. This cannot continue. These creatures are so rare and so gentle that it makes me very sad to think that this is happening to them.

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

My Petitions (CLOSED)

I have started two petitions. Here are the addresses for them if you would like to sign them:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-the-faroe-islands-pilot-whale-massacre/

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/eat-eggdrops-not-shark-fins/

Shark Fin Soup

You know, I would probably be okay with it if sharkfin soup were used in desperation.

For example, if there were a place in the world where only sharks and chicken broth were available AND children were starving....fine....people must eat. However, as a delicacy for the affluent in five star restaurants...ridiculous to say the least.

Personally, I'll stick with eggdrop soup. We have no shortage of chickens and eggs in the world. Haley should start a petition where participants pledge to "eat eggdrops, not fins".

Sport Fishing

Have you ever seen a picture or video of a shark hanging by its tail with a bloody hook in the corner of it's mouth? Well, that shark was probably killed for sport, which is for pleasure and competition. Competitions will be held for who can catch the biggest shark. I do not understand sport fishing and I believe that it is unnecessary and needless. Enough sharks are already killed for shark fin soup, we don't need anymore to be killed so anglers can break records for shark sizes. If there was no finning, I don't think that sport fishing would be as bad but with the situation that sharks are in right now, anglers should just forget the competition and start thinking about the health of the oceans.