Taiji Dolphin Slaughter Cancelled.

*Updated 7pm EST: Although dolphins may be safer, advocates monitoring the cove in Taiji are reporting that pilot whales have been captured for apparent slaughter but nothing has happened yet. We’ll keep you updated. 

For the first time in it’s 23 year history, the Taiji dolphin slaughter has been cancelled.

The Taiji slaughter became ground zero for the anti-whaling movement in the last few years and gained mainstream attention when it became the subject of the Acadamy Award nominated documentary The Cove.

Every year in Taiji Japan, thousands of dolphins are corraled into a small rock enclosure and brutally slaughtered for their meat. 

Inside Japan reports that the cancellation of the hunt has more to do with damage to the industry sustained from the earthquake and tsunami but any way we can stop it is good with me. The Japanese earthquake was an incredible tragedy but I am glad that at some good can come of it. Maybe taking a year off will encourage hunters to find a more friendly profession.