Norway conducts cruel tests on minke whales, despite opposition against unnecessary suffering inflicted on animals
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himNorway conducts cruel tests on minke whales, despite the opposition of many scientists, who denounce: such experiments cause stress and injuries to the animals, and could prove harmful even to the researchers themselves.
Plans to capture and broadcast six hours of sound tests on juvenile minke whales will continue in Norway despite the condemnation of more than 50 scientists and animal rights activists from around the world, who find these investigations 'completely unacceptable'.
A dozen male minke whales will then be captured in northern Norway (where they pass each year to reach areas where there is greater abundance of food) and stuck as if in a vise between two boats for six long hours, while their activity brain will be monitored with electrodes; moreover, at the end of the monitoring, the animals will be attached to a geolocation device. This cruel investigation was supposed to take place last month, but was postponed due to adverse weather conditions.
The researchers who promoted the study defend themselves by arguing that the results collected will represent a benefit for these animals: they will measure the level of noise tolerance by the whales and will allow us to understand how they suffer the effect of sonar.
However, as many as 50 scientists, veterinarians and animal rights groups from all over the planet have signed a document condemning the Norwegian authorities' plan, claiming that it could cause stress, injury or even death of animals. An online signature collection has also started to stop the cruel experiments, which has so far collected more than 59.000 signatures. The veterinarian Siri Martinsen, a member of NOAH (the largest animal defense NGO in Norway), called the project alarming and expressed concern about the health of the animals involved.
There is a significant risk that fin whales get scared once trapped and try to break free, which could lead to them being seriously injured, too, '' he explains. - Furthermore, if a minke whale responds aggressively to entrapment, this could also be harmful to humans. The reactions of the whales are unpredictable, and it cannot be excluded that even the researchers themselves risk injury in this research operation.
Source: UKWhales / Change.org
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