While whale hunting may seem like a thing of the past, but it unfortunately still happens today, more than most people think. Fortunately, bans on whale hunting exist in many countries, as well as the prohibition of trading whale products. Regardless, more than 2,000 whales are still killed each year, as some countries still permit whale hunting. Meat and oil from whales is used to manufacture items such as margarine and cooking oil, animal feed, candles, soaps, and more. In today’s modern-day society, there are many alternatives for manufacturing such products, and there is no reason for the continued killing of whales.
Methods
Today, harpoon cannons can be utilized to kill a whale quickly. The full name of these cannons is the penthrite grenade harpoon, and they are fired from the desk of a ship. The harpoon enters the whale, making a hole in its body, and the grenade then explodes. Whale hunters frequently then proceed to shoot a whale that does not die instantly from the blast to end the pain for the animal. Regardless, even causing death with the grenade harpoon takes a period of time, during which, critics argue, that the whale suffers greatly.While the use of the “cold” harpoon has been banned, sadly, some hunters still utilize such to kill whales. The cold harpoon does not explode within the whale, and thus, is an even more inhumane method of killing them.
Motivation
Value
Some areas of coastal regions have sustained themselves primarily based on their whale hunting practices. These areas rely on the profit that they receive from selling the whale-based products. Sadly, the demand for whale bi-products is higher than the supply, so the whaling industry persists and proves to remain a lucrative one.