The Cove
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The Cove

Richard O'Barry was the man who captured and trained the dolphins for the television show Flipper (1964). O'Barry's view of cetaceans in captivity cha...nged from that experience when as the last straw he saw that one of the dolphins playing Flipper - her name being Kathy - basically committed suicide in his arms because of the stress of being in captivity. Since that time, he has become one of the leading advocates against cetaceans in captivity and for the preservation of cetaceans in the wild. O'Barry and filmmaker 'Louie Psihoyos (I)' go about trying to expose one of what they see as the most cruel acts against wild dolphins in the world in Taiji, Japan, where dolphins are routinely corralled, either to be sold alive to aquariums and marine parks, or slaughtered for meat. The primary secluded cove where this activity is taking place is heavily guarded. O'Barry and Psihoyos are well known as enemies by the authorities in Taiji, the authorities who will use whatever tactic to expel the two from Japan forever. O'Barry, Psihoyos and their team covertly try to film as a document of conclusive evidence this cruel behavior. They employ among others Hollywood cameramen and deep sea free divers. They also highlight what is considered the dangerous consumption of dolphin meat (due to its high concentration of mercury) which is often sold not as dolphin meat, and the Japanese government's methodical buying off of poorer third world nations for their support of Japan's whaling industry, that support most specifically at the International Whaling Commission. Show More

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The Cove is a powerful documentary that sheds light on the cruel treatment of dolphins in captivity and the slaughter that takes place in Taiji, Japan. The film follows Richard O'Barry, a former dolphin trainer for the television show Flipper, whose perspective changed when he witnessed one of the dolphins, Kathy, commit suicide due to the stress of captivity. O'Barry, now a prominent advocate against cetaceans in captivity, teams up with filmmaker Louie Psihoyos to expose the horrors happening in Taiji.

In Taiji, dolphins are herded into a secluded cove where they are either sold to marine parks or brutally slaughtered for meat. O'Barry and Psihoyos face opposition from the authorities in Taiji, who will stop at nothing to keep their activities hidden. Undeterred, the team employs Hollywood cameramen and deep sea free divers to secretly capture footage of the dolphin slaughter as evidence of the cruelty taking place.

The Cove also highlights the dangers of consuming dolphin meat, which is often sold under false pretenses and contains high levels of mercury. It exposes the Japanese government's unethical practices of buying off poor third-world countries in support of their whaling industry, particularly at the International Whaling Commission.

This thought-provoking documentary serves as a call to action, urging viewers to reconsider their support of cetaceans in captivity and to join the fight for the preservation of these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.