Article Review – The barbaric killing of whales

 

We as humans have made sure that we advance in a manner that is profitable to us now, and not think about how will it harm the environment and us in the long run. ‘What have we done to the whales’ by Amia Srinivasan sheds a good amount of light on how we have over the years. The article shows us how we as humans have not only failed to save the environment but also have actively destroyed it over the period of time. Understanding the issues and the article by Amia, I have mentioned the history of whale hunting which started for food and oil, how has war facilitated it, and how we as humans have made sure that we destroy something and then work on it to protect it later. No matter how many organisations like the International Whaling Community comes up, if we as humans individually do not start thinking about it at a personal level, it can’t make a huge difference.

The practice of whale hunting has existed for 1000s of years. We have used them, like any other element, as and when it suited us, to make our lives better and comfortable. There has been research to find better ways to kill and attack whales over a period of time so that the best of the methods are used. In the initial history, in South Korea, they used poison-tipped spears and bludgeons and kept them for many days. Then by the 16^th century, whale hunters used the tactic of harpooning calves and when the mother comes to save them, they would be trapped as well. All of this for meat and oil. The meat was an approved food item by the Vatican. On average, a whale could around 1000s of gallons of oil which can be used for regular factories to making ammunition.  Even though IWC was established in 1946 to regulate whale hunting in the international waters, more than 3 million whales were killed in the 19^th century. A lot of it is because of wars and military requirements.

IWC’s initial methods failed. People weren’t sure what to do. They started killing more and keeping them in hope of price surges and high returns and profits. Some would hold on to many and use the maximum capacity they could. This mass and continuous killing led to the commercial extinction in the Southern Hemisphere region.
The oil produced by whales was used for military activities, for ammunition, and in submarines. When the American and Europe’s whaling industry was going down, USSR’s whaling industry grew very much during the cold war. Spermaceti was used as a synthetic substitute. USSR had the practice of overhunting the whales so much that their ships were filled with whale carcasses. While Japan faced a post-war food crisis, whale meat worked as an alternative and cheap source of protein and was given, especially to kids and children. Even when the restrictions were imposed, Japan used the loophole, of capturing whales for research and then used it. This shows us how we as humans have created issues, because of our selfishness and lack of empathy, and then ended up trying to correct it when it's almost gone.

Whales have never been someone’s favourite animal. They are huge and magnificent. They posses unique abilities such as communication abilities, but since we cannot understand them, we show it in a bad light in stories and tales. Humans generally don’t think of anyone when it comes to their benefit, and then to think for a being which they have not understood well will be a far-fetched dream. This was one reason why gathering empathy towards the animal was difficult. Some scientists warned us about the global crisis it was going to create and how our activities will make it extinct. There were rallies in London involving approx. 15000 people, whose photographs hit the world. Art was used as an expression in it, it was all good and it did some help. But the main motive diluted. Later on, the art made in various forms were sold and people made and money achieved fame, but the main motive was lost. It was all good, I stated, but what good is it if forgotten?

Whales were killed earlier as much as it was deemed fit, forget about the issue in the long run, there was no short-term requirement to the number they were being killed or may I say murdered. Even though restrictions have come in, we have managed to find loopholes in it, and exploit it. Our rising level of industrial pollution has harmed the animals living in the ocean. The whales are no exception. Adding to it, the amount of plastic we throw has just added to it.
The author has very well mentioned statistics and data to present her case before us. If you don’t feel empathy towards them (sigh) you might subscribe to the damage each of us is causing to whales and the environment as a whole. We have to act now or else we will lose many animals and end up destroying the environment completely.