Whales are known to be the gentle giants of the underwater world. These marine animals are tender creatures that cases of them attacking humans are extremely rare. These aquatic mammals feed on planktons and have never been reported feeding on flesh.
But why do human beings show cruelty to these enormous creatures? They have been victims of killing acts since their discovery and oftentimes to culprits go unpunished. Not until Australia made a move this week to stop this atrocity.
Kyodo Senpaku, a Japanese whaling company has been fined $1 million by an Australian court. The company is facing a crime of "willful contempt" as it violated the mandate to stop killing whales. This is the first time that a verdict has been made against this environmental act.
According to The Guardian, Humane Society International (HSI) said that the Japanese company broke the order numerous times. The order was given last 2008 to stop killing and capturing whales in a specific marine area. Because of this, HIS submitted an appeal to an Australian court against the said company. This appeal is part of a legal battle started a decade ago. Kyodo was caught taking whales within Australia's Antarctic whale sanctuary.
Jayne Jagot, the federal court judge said that the company indeed performed the said violations. He then accepted all the oral and written applications of HIS against Kyodo. Kyodo violated the rules of Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
A representative for HIS, Barrister Jeremy Kirk SC appeared and informed the court that since the Japanese company committed "serious offences" against the court, the fine they need to pay must be "at least six figures".
News reported by The Guardian in October said that officials in Tokyo showed defiance against the international ban on whaling. For Japanese, they capture whales for scientific purposes. But in 2014, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found out the expeditions were not for scientific purposes. They decided not to allow the company's whaling activities in the Antarctic
WIth the company still pushing its so called "scientific expeditions" this can lead to the extinction of these huge gentle marine creatures. Hopefully sanctions like the one initiated by Australia can put a stop to all these.
