Polls Show Americans Confused By Whaling
23 June 2009
by Anai Rhoads
AnaiRhoads.org -- Results from a national poll was released Monday, which showed an overwhelming number of people unaware of commercial whaling operations.
The poll, commissioned by Animal Planet through Online Zogby Interactive, surveyed 3,412 Americans. The results revealed that 85 percent of Americans were aware of whaling, while less than 3 percent believe whaling did not actually exist.
On the ethical scale, 53 percent of Americans think killing whales is immoral, while 20 percent voted that they disagree and 27 percent weren't sure.
Currently, blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales are on the endangered list, while gray and minke whales are not. However, 57 percent of those surveyed agree that whales in general are an endangered species.
Whaling is actually legal in several parts of the world, such as Russia, when done by indigenous peoples. Of those asked which countries hunt whales, 68 percent believed only Japan hunts whales, while others cited countries such as Norway and Iceland.
Both Norway and Iceland process and sell whale meat, but these countries mostly sell the meat to Japanese markets. All three countries have commercial whaling operations, which are said to kill over 2,000 whales annually. Japan slaughters approximately 50 percent of this total number.
Japanese hunters claim they only target sperm and minke whales, while under the guise of a cetacean research programme.
It is said the major motivation for killing whales was once to obtain their blubber for the production of fragrances and oils. Despite not having much use for the blubber since the 19th century, whale hunters continue to seek it out.
Most notably - 29 percent of those surveyed gave credit to Greenpeace for helping the whales. Only 5 percent of those polled said The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was doing the most to save these whales. Over 54 percent were unsure which organisation was doing the most to help.
Animal Planet produces an 11-part series called Whale Wars, which documents the work of Captain Paul Watson and his crew, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, as they attempt to intercede whaling.
The poll itself coincided with the 61st annual conference of the International Whaling Commission and the programme's second season, which began earlier this month on the network.
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