▶︎Self-introduction
I’m Mineto Meguro, Animal Liberator LIB (authorized NPO).
LIB is an organization that aims to release all animals used by humans.
I watched the movie “Earthlings” in 2015, and was very interested in activities to help animals.
In September 2017, I launched “Animal Liberator LIB” because I thought that it was necessary to conduct animal liberation activities organizationally.
I conducted two crowdfunding campaigns and surveyed almost all zoos and aquariums throughout Japan.
“Happiness to animals! Go around Japan! Survey of zoos and aquariums [northern Japan ver.]” in 2017
“Release animals! Go around Japan! Survey of zoos and aquariums [southern Japan]” in 2018
https://youtu.be/n99iSx3z1xcI accomplished severe surveys staying in a car for more than 9 months in both the projects, collected a huge number of videos, released the situation of many suffering animals.
The followings are a part of such animals:
Elephant Playlist
Fox Crying fox
Zoochosis Playlist
I received a lot of feedback from many people such as “my image of zoo and aquarium was changed” and “I changed my consumption behavior.”
As a compilation of these surveys, I published an e-book and it has been well received.
In this book, the actual condition of zoos and aquariums that many people do not know and are not informed of is described.
We would appreciate it if you would read the book.
『Closure of zoos and aquariums』
▶︎The reason why I launched this project
I launched this project with the thoughts that I want many people to know the actual condition of dolphins that perform shows cheerfully at aquariums and to release such dolphins.
All captured dolphins are used in the same process.
That is …
“Faucet → Use → Outlet”
1 Faucet: Where do aquarium’s dolphins come from?
Do people who enjoy dolphin shows know where the dolphins come from?
From dolphin hunting.
Dolphins are captured by dolphin hunting at Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture and taken to aquariums.
Their families and fellows are killed.
The fathers and mothers of dolphins that were born in aquariums are also ones captured by dolphin hunting.
Dolphin hunting has two purposes:
One is to eat dolphins.
The other is to perform dolphin shows at aquariums.
Dolphin trainers and aquarium staff participate in dolphin hunting to capture dolphins that will be sold to aquariums.
A group of dolphins is a family or fellows.
Some dolphins (grampus) in this video were taken to aquariums by dolphin trainers and the other dolphins were killed for eating.
2 Use: The suffering dolphins in aquariums
Dolphins remember what they were done by humans.
Do you know the word “abnormal behaviors”?
They are behaviors performed by animals that are confined in zoos and aquariums and mentally unbalanced.
Dolphins also perform abnormal behaviors.
For example, they are only floating on water, repeatedly expel fishes from their mouths and continue to do the same actions.
There are dolphins that seem to perform abnormal behaviors in the aquariums throughout Japan.
The dolphins in aquariums are addicted to medicine.
They have gastroenteritis because they eat frozen fishes, suffer from allergy and infection in the unnatural environment and are injected for artificial insemination (hormones of horse and human).
An aquarium uses 89 kinds in total of medicines and supplements to dolphins.
(Maria in an aquarium in Kyoto, whose wound in the mouth did not recover for years. She died in July 30, 2019.)
Dolphins have experienced miscarriage and stillbirth.When a baby dolphin is born in an aquarium, everyone celebrates the birth with delight.
However, do you know that many babies died in the meantime?
The probability of miscarriage and stillbirth is 80%.
The mother dolphins feel sadness in their heart.
They are inseminated artificially until pregnancy is successful.
3 Outlet: Where do dolphins go?
Where do the dolphins that entertained us go?
Do you know the dolphin “Honey”?
She became well-known for being left alone in Inubosaki Marine Park Aquarium, Chiba Prefecture.
When LIB found Honey, the aquarium was still in business.
She was floating on the “green (dirty)” water.
We worked on all parties concerned to clean the water and rescue her.
For such process at that time, click here.
The story of dolphin “Honey” (Japanese)
And Honey died in March 29, 2020.
This video we took shows the actual condition of Honey on February 29 (one month before that).
It appears that the skin of her back peels away and the mouth and skin are heavily damaged.”
Honey was also captured by dolphin hunting at Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture, confined in the small pool for about 15 years, and died.
We heard that the dead dolphin was buried in the site of Inubosaki Marine Park Aquarium.
Honey could not return to the sea even after she died.
The following website is the process that we tried to rescue Honey.
We don’t forget Honey” (Japanese)
There are dolphins like “Honey” throughout Japan.
It means that they are over 500 dolphins confined in the aquariums across Japan even at this very moment.
And as long as dolphin hunting at Taiji Town continues, one “Honey” after another is captured and used until they die.
” Faucet → Use → Outlet” The most important thing is to turn off the “faucet.”
If you really desire to release animals, you will come to the answer “turn off the faucet.”
Use: As the dolphins that are used now are someone’s property, we cannot rescue them.
Outlet: We also cannot do nothing for dead dolphins.
Faucet: prevent dolphins from becoming victims.
This is the most effective and quickest way.
Dolphins that will be captured in the future can be released by turning off the faucet.
The faucet is dolphin hunting.
Therefore, we will focus on dolphin hunting to attract the attention of people in this project.
Tell the truth to people and never create a new “Honey.”
In order to do so, we will perform this project.
▶︎The details of project
Dolphin hunting is performed at Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture, mainly from September 1 to the end of February. (The hunting period is much longer but these 6 months are its peak.)
This project is performed based on the three activities.
1 Survey on dolphin hunting and interview with the concerned parties
2 Remote broadcast of dolphin hunting
3 Write and publish a book on dolphin hunting
1. Survey on dolphin hunting and interview with the concerned parti
During the peak of dolphin hunting period (from September 1, 2020 to the end of February, 2021), I will conduct survey the dolphin hunting and interview with the concerned parties to collect the information 5 times in total and for more than 50 days
I will establish the evidence that can persuade the society to realize the release of dolphins in the future.”
2. Live broadcast of dolphin hunting
I perform live broadcast via social media on the day of dolphin hunting to deliver what happens on the spot to Japan and the world.
*No dolphin hunting is conducted on a heavy-weather day.
The live broadcast was performed via social media
for 12 days in total during the hunting period from 2018 to 2019, and
for 14 days in total during the hunting period from 2019 to 2020.
I actually felt that more people know the actual condition of dolphin hunting thanks to this live broadcast.
I will perform much more live broadcasts to increase people who know the actual condition of dolphin hunting.”
3. Write and publish a book on dolphin hunting
I will write the book at the same time as survey, interview and live broadcast.
(The image of book, it will be published in the digital version.)
This book is intended to make suggestion to the evidence why dolphins should be released and the future.
In Japan, there is no book written in a critical position regarding dolphin hunting.
I write a book that may be an important trigger in the history of dolphin release in Japan based on our collected information, materials and experiences.
After the hunting period finishes, I will refine the sentences many times and publish it by the autumn 2021.
▶︎The prospect and vision of project
Japan have captured, sold and killed the largest number of dolphins in the world.
The world’s largest base to supply dolphins to aquariums is Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture.
People all over the world already know that Japan is very cruel to dolphins.
However, many Japanese people believe that they are kind to dolphins.
We would like to change Japan to be a country that is kind to dolphins.
Wild dolphins eat, play and sleep all day.
Dolphins travel a long distance with their families, surf on waves, fall in love, have children and raise them in a family.
We got permission to put the video on this website from Mr. Richard Melvill (Photographer / Videographer).
Register YouTube Channel
We would like to protect such dolphins and release them.
It is a human that injures and confines dolphins, and it is also a human that protects dolphins naturally.
This project will increase people who know the dolphin hunting in Japan and the actual condition of aquariums.
We conduct activities so that Japanese people may become kind to dolphins, more people may be kind to animals all over the world and this project may become one important step to release all animals someday.
Let’s liberate dolphins together.
Your support will be appreciated.
*This project may be postponed or delayed due to coronavirus. In that case, we will inform supporters of the situation as needed.
*All-or-Nothing method is adopted for this project.
If the total amount of donations does not reach to the target amount of money, the full amount is returned to all the supporters.”
Only when the amount of donations exceeds the target amount of money, this project is successful and the money after deduction of its commission is paid to LIB.
*Project specification
Operation period: August 1, 2020 – July 4, 2021
Operation place: 1065, Yukawa, Nachikatsuura Town, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama
Main operator: Animal Liberator LIB (authorized NPO)
Details of operation: The survey and report on dolphin hunting at Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture and the writing of manuscripts for a book on dolphin hunting and aquariums
Others *Survey on dolphin hunting
Survey place: Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture
Survey spot: Taiji Fishing Port, Tomyozaki, Takababe and Hatakejiri Bay
Survey period: September 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021
Survey permission: Unnecessary”
Return
¥10,000 (about $93.31)
・Thanks Mail
・e-book: we send you e-book “Dolphin hunting (tentative title)” in the PDF format.(Japanese)
¥30,000 (about $279.93)
・Thanks Mail
・e-book: we send you e-book “Dolphin hunting (tentative title)” in the PDF format.(Japanese)
¥50,000 (about $466.55)
・Thanks Mail
・e-book: we send you e-book “Dolphin hunting (tentative title)” in the PDF format.(Japanese)
・Zoom event: After the dolphin hunting period finishes, we tell you inside stories about the interview on dolphin hunting and answer questions. This event is held for two hours. The date is decided after adjustment with supporters.(Japanese)
¥100,000 (about $933.09)
・Thanks Mail
・e-book: we send you e-book “Dolphin hunting (tentative title)” in the PDF format.(Japanese)
・Dolphin hunting guide(Japanese): I (Meguro) give you a tour of dolphin hunting at Taiji Town if you desire. You go to Taiji Town on the day before the guide, and you and I go to the spot by car next morning. I give you a tour all day along with the flow of actual dolphin hunting.
*The schedule and others are adjusted on request.
*If dolphin hunting is suspended due to heavy weather or when dolphins are not captured, I give you a tour of Taiji Whale Museum and Whale Ranch at Moriura Bay.
*Each supporter shall bear the actual costs of accommodation expenses, transportation expenses, food expenses, etc.
*If you cannot go to Taiji Town, you can participate in the Zoom event(Japanese) after the dolphin hunting period. We tell you inside stories about the interview on dolphin hunting and answer questions. This event is held for two hours. The capacity of participants is up to 2 persons including you. The date of this event is decided after adjustment with supporters.
¥200,000 (about $1866.19)
・Thanks Mail
・e-book: we send you e-book “Dolphin hunting (tentative title)” in the PDF format.(Japanese)
・Dolphin hunting guide(Japanese): I (Meguro) give you a tour of dolphin hunting at Taiji Town if you desire. You go to Taiji Town on the day before the guide, and you and I go to the spot by car next morning. I give you a tour all day along with the flow of actual dolphin hunting.
*The schedule and others are adjusted on request.
*If dolphin hunting is suspended due to heavy weather or when dolphins are not captured, I give you a tour of Taiji Whale Museum and Whale Ranch at Moriura Bay.
*Each supporter shall bear the actual costs of accommodation expenses, transportation expenses, food expenses, etc.
*If you cannot go to Taiji Town, you can participate in the Zoom event(Japanese) after the dolphin hunting period. We tell you inside stories about the interview on dolphin hunting and answer questions. This event is held for two hours.The capacity of participants is unlimited (including you).The date of this event is decided after adjustment with supporters.