Despite international outrage Japan begins its annual dolphin slaughter

The small Japanese coastal village of Taiji has begun another annual hunt for dolphins, which has caused Western environmentalists to clash with local traditionalists.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The small town of 3,500 people in the Wakayama prefecture hunts dolphins every year, starting in September and continuing through March.

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The local fishermen are permitted to hunt up to 2,000 dolphins and whales, from seven different species, as part of what the Wakayama prefecture government calls traditional hunting practice.

The majority of the dolphins are killed for their meat, but many are sold live to aquariums around the world.

Environmental activists have narrowed in on the Taiji hunts in recent years, especially after the release of the 2009 film "The Cove" which documented the hunt and raised international interest and the Taiji dolphin hunting industry.

The Sea Shepherd conservationist group has been in Taiji for the hunting season since 2009, broadcasting the hunts live from the village and intending to raise social media outrage against the hunt.

So far their campaign has drawn in some high-profile supporters, like comedian Ricky Gervais and U.S. ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, both of whom have tweeted their support in recent years.

Even former Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed actress Shannen Doherty visited Taiji to watch the hunts.

"It's eerie," said Doherty. "You wonder how they (the hunters) are able to go to bed at night... I think being here rocks even the most hardened human being, because it is just atrocious."

Sea Shepherd's campaign co-ordinator for the Taiji, Melissa Sehgal, said that after 15 days without capturing or killing a dolphin, the locals had begun killing pods of Risso's dolphins.

Four dolphin pods had been driven into the cove to be killed the group said.

"These dolphins are a gentle and docile species, but they continued to fight and struggle to stay alive," Sehgal said.

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