TROUBLED WATERS - Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society

skin samples, without the need for any more invasive procedure. These techniques enable rapid andcomprehensive collection of samples without killing the animals and call into question the justificationfor killing whales to assess population genetics.Techniques now exist to collect faeces from a whale as it swims, using a net to scoop up the sample nearthe water surface and to carry out DNA amplification to analyse the species composition within thesamples and hence in the diet (Jarman et al 2003). This technique is very valuable as it enables repeatedsampling of the same individual and construction of dietary profiles over time. Such techniques bear nowelfare cost to the animals being studied.The method of euthanasia is a critical consideration during ethical review. In the case of scientificpermit whaling, the killing method is the same as that applied to the commercial slaughter of whales:explosive harpooning on the open seas. A review of current killing efficiencies (see chapter 6) revealsthat the scientific permit whaling conducted by Japan is actually less efficient than commercial whaling.Because the method of euthanasia (harpooning) in special permit whaling immediately kills less thanhalf of whales after first being struck (see chapter 6) it is likely that this method would be consideredethically unacceptable by the ethical review process in other areas of animal research.Table 2. Comparison of the 3Rs with current practice of Whalingunder Scientific Permit108A REVIEW OF THE WELFARE IMPLICATIONS OF MODERN WHALING ACTIVITIESReplacementKilling whales to determinestock structureKilling whales todetermine dietKilling whales to determinepollutant levelsReductionRefinementNon-lethal biopsy sampling is widely used to collect tissuefor genetic analysis. Such sampling techniques are more effectivethan killing the animals.Techniques now exist to sample whale faeces and constructdiet from the DNA profiles provided.Pollutants research can be carried out using biopsy sampling,using samples from stranded cetaceans and by analysingincidental catches.The scientific validity of the number of whales killed has beenrepeatedly questioned in the Scientific Committee of the IWC.Current killing methods are deemed to be inadequate byvirtue of the time taken for the whales to die (chapter 5.1).