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Via BuzzFeed

Hot Celebrity Women Who Hate Whaling!

As the IWC’s annual conference gets underway this week in Portugal, it’s unlikely that any real progress will be made by that body towards ending commercial whaling, but the athletes, models and actresses below are likely to be paying attention. In they past, they’ve all spoken out – or protested against – whaling.

1. Hayden Panettiere – Hayden has taken part in protests in Japan, tried to gather a million signatures protesting whaling via an online widget, and has done press and speaking appearances across the globe.

Hayden at a rally in Washington DC.

Hayden at a rally in Washington DC.


Hayden at a dolphin killing protest in Japan.

Hayden at a dolphin killing protest in Japan.


Same as above.

Same as above.


2. Hannah Fraser – Hannah is a model who travels the world being filmed and photographed as a mermaid. She participated in the 2007 protest with Hayden Panettiere in Japan (which was organized by her husband, pro surfer Dave Rastovich) and has spoken out against whaling in numerous public appearances.

Hannah Fraser as a mermaid.

Hannah Fraser as a mermaid.


Hannah Fraser as a non-mermaid (from her MySpace page)

Hannah Fraser as a non-mermaid (from her MySpace page)


3. Isabel Lucas – Australian actress, Isabel Lucas, has campaigned on behalf of the Whaleman Foundation, and is yet another celeb to have participated in Rastovich’s protest in Japan. She’s a well-known soap star and activist in her home country, and she’s also starring in the new Transformers movie.

Isabel Lucas - I don't know, but there could be something green going on here.

Isabel Lucas - I don't know, but there could be something green going on here.


Isabel Lucas with a harpoon (hint: she doesn't like harpoons)

Isabel Lucas with a harpoon (hint: she doesn't like harpoons)


Isabel Lucas wearing one of those little headband things I like.

Isabel Lucas wearing one of those little headband things I like.


4. Karina Petroni – Pro Surfer Karina Petroni was yet another participant in the Rastovich protest. Said Karina, “It was the most intense experience I’ve ever had. Our motive was not to dictate to the Japanese people but instead to have a peaceful ceremony for these amazing friends we’ve lost and also to reeducate the wonderful Japanese people on how dolphin meat is highly contaminated with mercury. They’re feeding the meat to some of the school children and it’s slowly poisoning them.”

Karina Petroni

Karina Petroni


Pro Surfer Karina Petroni

Pro Surfer Karina Petroni


5. Daryl Hannah - Daryl Hannah hates whaling so much that she went to sail with the Sea Shepherd crew. On top of that she’s sort of called out Greenpeace for being soft, saying “If Greenpeace would join forces with Sea Shepherd they would shut down the whaling industry right away. If they were really serious and held their convictions they could accomplish this.”

Well, of course...

Well, of course...


Daryl...Hannah

Daryl...Hannah


6. Alexandra Paul – Best known for playing Stephanie Holden on Baywatch, Alexandra is anti-whaling from the old school. She says, “When I grew up in the 1970s. ‘Save the Whales’ was the most popular slogan around. Most people think the whales have been saved, but that is not true.”

Alexandra competing in the Bonaire EcoSwim 10K race

Alexandra competing in the Bonaire EcoSwim 10K race


From Baywatch

From Baywatch

7. Vanessa Carbone – Argentine Model, and former Playboy Playmate, Vanessa Carbone has publicly stripped down to nothing but a g-string to protest Japanese whaling.
Vanessa Carbone ("Let them live," i.e. the whales)

Mas Vanessa Carbone

Mas Vanessa Carbone


8. Megan Gale – Says Australian model/actress/activist Megan Gale of Japanese whaling, “The whaling issue in Japan is something that has left me absolutely speechless. I can’t comprehend how other humans on this planet can think it’s perfectly reasonable to create such a cruel and excessive amount of bloodshed time and time again. I have been shocked and disgusted to learn of, not only the slaying of these beautiful, harmless mammals, but also the horrific, torturous and senseless way in which they are killed.”

Megan Gale

Megan Gale


Megan Gale - she was going to be the new Wonder Woman, but the project's on hold

Megan Gale - she was going to be the new Wonder Woman, but the project's on hold


8. Leisel Jones – Australian Olympic Medal Leisel Jones is the new face of The World Society for the Protection of Animals anti-whaling campaign. Again, not a fan of the Japanese whaling. She says, “WSPA has scientifically-proven evidence there is no humane way to kill a whale at sea, with some whales taking an hour or even more to die.”

Leisel Jones

Leisel Jones


Leisel Jones

Leisel Jones


Leisel Jones

Leisel Jones


Nearly One-third Of The Whales That Japan Kills Are Pregnant (And Other News From The IWC Meeting)

Theres a one-in-three chance that this whale was pregnant before the Japanese killed it

There's a one-in-three chance that this whale was pregnant before the Japanese killed it

Japanese government data made public at the International Whaling Commission meeting this week revealed that a large number of whales were pregnant or lactating when they were killed by Japanese research vessels. In the 2008-2009 season, the Japanese killed 679 whales. 304 of those whales killed were female, and 192 of those were pregnant when they died. Four were lactating, which means they left behind calves that starved to death.

In other news from the IWC meeting. As predicted, no compromise has been reached at the summit of whaling nations. Japan and Australia have both cranked up the level of their rhetoric, and it’s starting to seem more likely than ever that the IWC could possibly dissolve. All they’ve managed to do is to extend compromise talks for another 12 months.

Also, this week in Portugal, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), argued that whale-watching – a $2.1 billion dollar per year business – is far more lucrative that killing whales for meat. Point in case perhaps, Norway recently suspended its whaling season at the half way point, saying that supply was exceeding demand. Additionally, the World Wildlife Fund, released a report showing that taxpayer dollars Japan and Norway are used to subsidize unprofitable and unpopular whaling industries.

Baby White Whale Spotted Off The Coast Of Australia

A white whale calf in the Head of Bight (Department for Environment and Heritage)

A white whale calf in the Head of Bight (Department for Environment and Heritage)

According to this article, about two percent of whale calves are born white – but they are not albino and they become darker as they get older.

Ban On Commercial Whaling Unlikely To Be Addressed At IWC Conference In Portugal

The 61st annual International Whaling Commission meeting got started yesterday in Madeira, Portugal, and, for the most part, it looks like it’s shaping up to be a great big waste of time and money.

The IWC has spent the last 12 months exploring compromises that would allow relaxed restrictions on commercial whale hunting. Neither pro-whaling nor anti-whaling nations are likely to find this deal acceptable, and no significant votes are expected to be taken during this conference. The best anyone seems to be hoping for is another 12 months of stalling and failed compromising. The worst case scenario is that more and more nations bail on the IWC entirely and decide to regulate their own whaling industries.

Basically, anti-whaling western nations (USA and EU), plus Australia, seem to have a political and cultural mandate to end entirely commercial whaling. It seems to be a matter of debate whether or not these countries could call a successful vote to place further restrictions on whaling. Some commentators don’t believe they have enough votes to get the three-quarters majority needed to enact major policy change. However, others, like Greenpeace, disagree and think that the time is now.

Japan leads the pro-whaling nations, seemingly by the sheer force of its political and economic influence in the Pacific - even in Australia.

During all this, Iceland caught its first whale of the season, but the CEO of the whaling company responsible said it was likely that the EU would do what the IWC could not. He believes that the EU will require Iceland to stop commercial whaling as a condition of membership.

And Paul Watson claims he was almost arrested on his way to the IWC meeting, but the warrant had expired.

Whales, Whales, Whales…Moby-dick-a-thons, Australia Readies For the IWC Meeting, and Lady Borat Visits New Bedford


More news from the world of whales:

Australian Scientists Tag Humpback Whales And Track Them To Antarctica

The Aussies Stick Way Smaller Things Into Whales Than The Japanese In Order To Study Them (AAD)

The Aussies Stick Way Smaller Things Into Whales Than The Japanese In Order To Study Them (AAD)

For the first time ever, scientists have recorded the path that humpback whales take from the Australian coast to feeding grounds near Antarctica.

Using decidedly non-lethal means, Australian scientists tagged 16 whales near New South Wales and tracked their individual journeys for nearly six months. Said Aussie Environment Minister Peter Garrett, “Scientists have discovered that these whales from Australia’s east coast disperse more widely than previously thought and outside the area traditionally identified for this population by the International Whaling Commission.”

Of the 16 whales tagged, one went west, suggesting it thinks something is the matter with New Zealand (AAD)

Of the 16 whales tagged, one went west, suggesting it thinks something is the matter with New Zealand (AAD)

The tagging program is part of a $35M initiative designed to use non-lethal research as a way of influencing the International Whaling Commission’s reform agenda (i.e. to end whaling and the lethal research loophole).

The Whale Watch: Other Whale-Related Matters From Around The Globe

More news from the world of whales:

  • The New Bedford Whaling Museum has a blog!
  • The opposition in Australia is accusing the government of dropping it’s campaign promise to take Japan to international court over whaling. (ABC News)
  • James Bond goes to the white house to say he hates whaling (Politico.com)

Sea Shepherd Comtemplates Adding Very Fast, Very Annoying Boat To Their Fleet

The Earthrace, super fast and eco-friendly (Photo Peter Faretra)

The Earthrace, super fast and eco-friendly (Photo Peter Faretra)

In 2008, the Earthrace (pictured above) broke the record for fastest waterborne circumnavigation of the globe by a good two weeks. It’s max speed is 40 knots and it can cruise the open oceans at 20 knots for up to 2,000 miles. Now, Earthrace skipper/owner Pete Bethune has confirmed he’s in negotiations with Sea Shepherd to sell them the boat, which is on the market for $1.5m.

The Sea Shepherd ship The Steve Irwin has a max speed of only 16 knots. The theory is that with the Earthrace, Sea Shepherd could harass Japanese “research” whaling vessels faster and longer.

If Anyone Actually Believed The Japanese Were Doing Research By Killing Whales, This Would Be Another Nail In The Coffin of “Research” Whaling

And yes, it is a “whale of an idea…”

Or a breathtaking discovery....

Or a "breathtaking discovery...."

A University of NSW scientist named Dr. Carolyn Hogg has gone all McGyver and invented a contraption which allows scientists to study the sex hormones of whales without first having to find a dead whale or a pile of whale shit. Because that’s how they used to have to do it.

Here’s how they do it now:

IN A case of classic Australian ingenuity, Sydney researchers have used a knee-high stocking and a cane embroidery ring to pioneer an easy, non-lethal way to study the sex hormones of whales at sea.

The home-made device, attached to a long pole, captures the exhaled breath – or blow – of the giant mammals as they briefly surface from the deep.

Previously, hormones could only be obtained from killed whales, or from faeces left by the whales as they swam along.

The Whale Watch: Other Whale-Related Matters From Around The Globe

More news from the world of whales (4/13/09):

  • Floating whale carcass to be deposited in landfill (Sign On San Diego)
  • Australian dolphin spits at food (Mongabay.com)
  • Gay dolphin video (Queerty)
  • There’s a band called “Or, The Whale“, and their “skip intro” link doesn’t work on their web sheet