Save The Whales! (official HSI)

To stop the killing of whales.

Whales are among the world's most fascinating and beautiful animals. These magnificent mammals nurse their young, breathe air, and communicate with one another. They populated the planet long before humans, yet scientists have barely begun to understand them. Sentient, intelligent animals, who are integral elements of their ecosystems, whales have intrinsic value—reason enough to protect them. But whales living in their natural habitats also have economic value, as millions of people pay to learn about them through whale watching excursions.

In fact, there is no good reason to kill whales, who also suffer the effects of pollution, global climate change, habitat degradation, fishing gear entanglement, and ship collisions. They aren’t overpopulated. They aren’t a threat to anyone—although one of the more absurd claims made by whaling nations is that whales compete with the commercial fishing industry by eating commercially important fish. Indeed, many whales do not even eat fish, and the decline in many fish stocks is from industrial overfishing.

And killing whales isn’t just needless—it’s cruel. All methods of killing whales are inhumane because the large size of even the smallest whales, their remarkable adaptations for diving, and the uncontrollable weather and conditions at sea make it very difficult to kill them instantaneously or render them immediately insensible. So whales may suffer horrible, painful deaths lasting anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

For more information:
http://www.hsi.org/whales
http://www.hsus.org/whales

1. Whales are fascinating and beautiful creatures that should be appreciated and observed, not killed!

2. Whales are more valuable alive than dead.

3. Killing whales isn’t just needless—it’s cruel. All methods of killing whales are inhumane.

4. Contrary to rumors, whales are not eating all the fish! Overfishing is the cause for the decline in many fish stocks.