I am no tree hugger by any means, and my annual meat consumption can be measured in tons, but I do love nature, and do love the raw-ness and untouched beauty some parts of our planet still have.

I've recently started watching the show Whale Wars on National Geographic TV, and find it absolutely fantastic...and partially sad. Just wanted to know if there are any other fans of the show, and what they think of it.

I really think it's disgusting what the Japanese whalers are doing, humans really are huge lumps of sh!t when it comes to our planet. I travel the world, to some of the most remote places on Earth, to see what few ever live to see, and am amazed how incredible our planet is. I am not talking about taking a ride "to the country" or "upstate" but to a truly remote location, where humans still haven't stuck their hands in...it's mind boggling. I do care about preserving wildlife, nature, etc, and am a member of the WCS even. I'll be traveling to the Galapagos Islands next July, and hopefully, if all goes according to plan, Antarctica the following year. It's sad to see that some of these incredible environments go away, and it's sad that most people never really get to enjoy them.

I always urge everyone to take a break from the busy bee vacations, grab your kids, and go somewhere remote. Utter silence is beautiful.of it.

 

This is why i live in the country, i like being surrounded by nature.

 

I watched the 1st season, i didn't really get into the 2nd season

I love animals, and would love to see some of the world you are talking about

 

That post could have come directly from me. I watch the show (but on Animal Planet not Nat Geo and agree 100%.

I am not a big pro stinky hippie guy, but god bless this boat load of stinky hippies. I went to the Sea Shepard website and bought a TShirt and may send them some money in the future.

My wife, who is Japanese thinks I am picking on her fatherland, so I told her I woud wear the T Shirt next time we go to Hawaii to see her family and the boatload of Japanese tourists. I am sure that will make me real popular.


As far as the strategy of there tactics go, the whaling ships are now pretty well protected with the netting,L-rads and water cannons. They got a couple choices, continue to throw off of the deck and piss of the Dutch or find a new country that will allow them to fly their flag OR hook up a tank and high pressure sprayer of buteric acid on the underside of the chopper and crop dust the whaling ships from a safe altitude.

I have been close enough to humpbacks to get sprayed with blowhole juice while on a couple of Zodiac trips off of Hawaii and it is an incredible experience. You are just in awe of the size of these things. I have some good video.

Galapagos is #2 on my list of places to visit after Australia.

 

I also find it weird that no other country will allow them to fly their flag. The US, Australia and Ecuador are HUGE on protecting the environment, but it seems when you need to get a little dirty, they don't want their names on it.

I thought about doing this, but it is a very dangerous adventure, and with a wife, and hopefully kids on the way, I don't think I am ready to give it up.

However, I am sure the adventure would be a once in a lifetime experience.

P.S. I struggle to find what kind of research you can do by killing whales (I can understand 1 or 2, but 997 of them?!)

I thought the whole point of research is you RESEARCH them in their natural environment/behavior.

 

I enjoy the show

 

i watch the show. i'm in the same boat...no tree hugger here, but its sad watching the whales get hunted. and the 'Research' is bullshit! maybe a couple whales for research but not *that* many. i'm getting frustrated watching the show though because i feel like the Sea Shepards tactics don't really accomplish much. they need some more effective means...like their own LRAD, or larger acid bombs they can drop from the helicopter.

 

I find myself pulling for the whalers. Just because I hate hippies.

 

People need to get off their high horse over how evil Japan is for whaling. The same applies for the Inuits, and sustainable hunting around the world.

Both those cultures have whaled as far back as their recorded history. They've managed to hunt whale for thousands of years without disrupting the balance of nature.

However when westerners decided to try their hand at whaling, their ruthless greed for all things whale related nearly wiped whales off the face of the planet within a century.

I love how it's now the western countries crying foul at Japan for whaling when the whales are endangered because of what western countries like America and European countries did. It's like kicking over the sand castle yourself and blaming the poor kid trying to pick up the pieces.

This basically applies to all hunting. Those people who think hunting animals is amoral are basically misinformed. There is nothing wrong with responsible controlled hunting. Responsible hunting allows for animals to continue to survive while still allowing a take. The problem arises when hunting is not regulated, or banned altogether, because people begin to poach. Too many people have the irrational bambai complex and think hunting is wrong, when hunting actually has done more to protect our wilderness and habitat than anything else.

The next time you walk in a state or national park or forest. The next time you appreciate the nature around, think about who made that possible, and for what reason. Think about who pays for about 11/12ths of the conservation efforts in this country. It's not the tree hugging hippies who actually pull out their own cash to save animals (they perfer to simply complain, whine, and protest). It's responsible hunters coming up with the money to do conservation works through the 11% voluntary tax through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration act.

 

[QUOTE=565565,Aug 10 2009, 08:50 AM] People need to get off their high horse over how evil Japan is for whaling.