Considerations

• The old methods of whaling often meant the animal took up to 1 hour to die. Simply throwing harpoons (barbed spears) into such a large animal has a relatively small effect. The animal slowly dies from the injuries inflicted, but is fully aware during the process and is still capable of feeling fear and distress throughout. Whales have the largest brains of any animal and are highly intelligent; whale song is the most complex form of song other than human song.
  
  

Misconceptions

• It is a misconception that whaling is necessary in any way. The economic benefits are small, and it can be argued in some cases that whaling is actually harmful to the economy. For example, some tourists may be put off by the idea of visiting a country that hunts whales. Some ill-informed people choose to believe that, like a fish, a whale does not feel pain--but this is not true of all fish, and certainly not true of whales. Whales are mammals and feel pain like any other.
  
  

History

• Whaling has been practiced since at least 6000 B.C. In those times, whaling was far more justifiable, particularly in cold-climate regions like those in the arctic circle, where high-fat food sources are essential to survival. Since 1981, the standard harpoon has been banned in the interests of "humaneness." Since then all harpoons have contained explosive charges that are detonated once inside the whale, in order to kill the animal more swiftly.
  
  

Effects

• In the traditional whale hunting of the past, several harpoons would have been launched into the animal and the hunters would have waited for the animal's slow and painful death. Today a harpoon is launched into the animal with a gun, and often sinks right into the core of the animal. The explosive charges are then detonated, blowing up chunks of the animal from within. This is an extremely painful process.
  
  

Theories/Speculation

• In modern times, whaling methods have become far more efficient than in 6000 BC, and huge numbers of whales are killed every year. However, it is impossible to say for how much longer this can continue, as the whale population is decreasing at a faster and faster rate. Many species are disappearing, and even other, "safer" ones have fallen off by about 90 percent. The sustainability of whaling itself is in question.