50 Australian communities adopt humpbacks as Japan's whaling fleet arrives in whale sanctuary

On behalf of the Humpback Icon Project IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare) is pleased to announce that 50 councils and communities around Australia have officially adopted individual humpback whales. 
 
Tragically this announcement comes within days of the Government of Japan’s whaling fleet’s arrival at the killing grounds of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary where 50 humpbacks are due to be killed along with 50 endangered fin and 935 minke whales.  This would be the first time in four decades that the iconic humpback whale, the mainstay of Australia’s $300 million whale watching industry, has faced harpoons.
 
The 50 communities stretch along the east coast of the mainland down to Tasmania and up the west coast of Australia, forming a symbolic chain of communities determined to save humpback whales from their culinary fate in Japan. 
 
“The depth and breadth of feeling about humpbacks among the Australian communities is almost tangible.  To have reached the landmark figure of 50 adoptive communities clearly demonstrates that Australians will not sit back and let the Government of Japan unlawfully and inhumanely kill these animals for their ‘scientific’ scam,” said Darren Kindleysides, IFAW Asia Pacific Campaigns Manager.
 
According to advice obtained from Australia’s leading international law experts it is not too late to stop the hunt - the Australian Government could halt Japan’s whaling program by taking action through international treaties and tribunals.  This advice was provided to the previous Howard Government who failed to act but there is hope in the promises made by the newly elected Rudd Government.
 
“We were heartened by the pre-election commitment by the Australian Labor Party to take strong steps to stop whaling, including legal action through international tribunals and treaties.  We trust that the new Rudd Government will honour this commitment and not let the humpbacks, and their adoptive Australian communities, down,” Mr Kindleysides said.
 
Each adopted whale can be individually identified by its distinctive tail markings.  Each of the 50 communities has named their whales, aiming to use them to educate people about the marine environment and raise awareness of the threats facing this vulnerable species.  Communities have embraced the initiative and participated in competitions and events to name the whales – names include Jarnder from Eden, Wendy from Currumbin and Sweetheart from Casey
 
The Humpback Icon Project is led by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), with partners the Oceania Project,  Centre for Whale Research (WA) and Surfers for Cetaceans. The Project aims to reach 100 adopted whales before the next International Whaling Commission meeting, in May 2008.

For media-related inquiries, contact:
Imogen Scott, IFAW Communications, +61 (0) 402 183 113 or iscott@ifaw.org