This year, Norway will hunt and kill nearly 1,300 minke whales in defiance of an international ban on commercial whaling. Norway sees itself as a progressive and modern country, but this year's quota of 1,286 minke whales puts Norway years behind the times.
Despite boasting a new Animal Welfare Act, the country has made no provision for marine mammals at all. Because there is no known humane way to kill whales at sea, some whales endure an hour of suffering before finally dying an agonising death after being shot with exploding harpoons and rifles.
Norway is one of three countries flying in the face of the international ban %u2013 both Japan and Iceland also carry out this bloody and violent crime. Only 1 per cent of the Norwegian public eats whale meat on a regular basis, and the majority of Norwegians agree that the suffering caused by whaling is unacceptable.
This year's quota is the highest in 25 years. Take action by writing to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and asking him to stop the suffering of whales today and to live up to Norway's desire to be seen as a progressive and modern country by promoting whale watching, not whale hunting.
Dear Mr Stoltenberg,
Norway has an enviable reputation as a progressive and civilised country, so we were shocked and dismayed to learn of its plan to kill nearly 1,300 whales this year. The suffering experienced by these animals before death as they are shot with exploding harpoons and rifles is indefensible and would be illegal if farmed animals in Norway were the victims. Your own scientific evidence shows that whales can take over an hour to die in unimaginable fear and pain, and your plan condemns hundreds of them to this horrifying death this year.
These animals' right to live should be respected, and Norway itself would benefit from promoting whale watching rather than whale killing as a commercial enterprise. A cruel industry like whaling has no place in your country %u2013 or any country. Please live up to Norway's own high standards of animal welfare, recognise the damage that your plan does to your international reputation and accept that whaling does not even enjoy the support of the Norwegian people. Please put a permanent and immediate end to whaling in Norway.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
