New battle to save the whale
THE battle to save the world’s whales stepped up a notch as Britain fought to keep an international ban on hunting the endangered species.
The 21-year-old curb could be lifted if Japan wins a vote at the four-day International Whaling Commission conference that began yesterday in Anchorage, Alaska. Last year Japan fell short of the three-quarters majority it needed.
But Britain is working to persuade anti-whaling countries to join the IWC and add their votes.
Costa Rica and Peru have now rejoined while Ecuador, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia and Cyprus have signed up.
Nobody knows how many recruits Japan pulled in, but Britain is optimistic the ban will hold.