Every year Japanese whalers use a legal loophole to hunt and kill more than a thousand whales, including endangered humpback whales! This year Greenpeace held a bunch of protests to stop the illegal whaling and you helped out by voting to name one of the humpbacks Mister Splashy Pants. Why name the whales? The idea is to put pressure on Japan by reminding them that these animals are beloved by the world. Australia also helped out by sending in an armed vessel named the Ocean Viking to gather info. Did it work? Is Mister Splashy Pants ok or is he an all-you-can-eat whale sushi platter? Here's the 411 on saving Mister Splashy Pants and his whale friends.
Mister Splashy Pants is Saved! Now Let's Help His Friends!
On December 21, 2007, just in time for Santa to swap their sack of coal for a really cool Christmas present, Japan decided to call off the plan to hunt and kill the threatened humpback whales. This means Mister Splashy Pants is saved!But, as awesome as that sounds, Japan is still planning to hunt and kill 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales this year. Not only that, they're planning to build an even bigger whaling ship to replace the clunky old one they're currently using. This ship is going to cost Japanese taxpayers between $120 milion - $180 million just to kill more whales!
Now's the chance for you to help save Mister Splashy Pants' friends and stop Japan from building that new whaling boat. Here's how:
Help Save Mister Splashy Pants!
Thanks to the power of the internet and people like you, Mister Splashy Pants won the Greenpeace Whale Naming Competition! Now you have a chance to help save Mister Splashy Pants from Japanese whaling. By clicking the image below you, your parents, your friends, and the person waiting for their chance to use the library computer, can help save Mister Splashy Pants. How? By signing an online petition to make the Japanese Fisheries Agency promise not to kill Mister Splashy Pants and his friends. You can also donate to help save the whales, and find cool Mister Splashy Pants gear from CafePress.
 Image courtesy of Kerb |
Vote For Mister Splashy Pants!
When the list of names was made, someone thought it was funny to add Mister Splashy Pants to it. The people of the internet agreed and the vote-off ended on December 7, 2007. It's too late to add your vote, but if you want to find out more about the Great Whale Trail and how Greenpeace is trying to stop Japan's whaling, check out the link below:www.greenpeace.org - Vote for Mister Splashy Pants!
Related Stories:
