Japan accused of killing pregnant whales - AFP

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Japan accused of killing pregnant whales

Tue Jul 24, 1:57 AM ET

SYDNEY (AFP) - More than half of about 500 whales killed by
Japan in Antarctic waters during the last southern summer
were pregnant, the Humane Society International (HSI)
charged Tuesday.

The global arm of the US-based animal welfare group said the
figure was based on a review of Japan's own reports on the
latest annual hunt, which Tokyo says is carried out for
scientific research purposes.

-snip-

HSI said the statistics would be used in a court case against
the Japanese whalers, which was due to resume in Australia's
Federal Court on Tuesday, with a date to be set for a full
hearing.

The court will be asked to issue an injunction to stop the hunt
if it finds that the Japanese whalers are in breach of Australian
law when they hunt whales in Australia's self-proclaimed Whale
Sanctuary in Antarctica.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070724/sc_afp/australiajapanwhaling_070724055755