Green Daily

In the last two decades at least 25,000 Fin whales have been harpooned. That's despite the global moratorium on whaling. Loopholes, exempting one's country and setting one's own quote for scientific research have all contributed to the continued killing of whales.

This and much more is detailed in Andrew Darby's book Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling. Darby covers environmental issues and Antarctica for Austrailia's Sydney Morning Herald. Darby argues the fight over whaling is, "a struggle between the best and worst of human nature."

Countries like Japan continue to whale in part to defend its right to fish other sea creatures, according to Darby. He documents the history of the Fin and Right whales that have been brought near extinction, Minkes that have been hunted ceaselessly, and the bloody torture of the harpoon. Some are now tipped with grenades.

The book is both a homage to the beauty and spectacular nature of whales and a document of numbers and inside-baseball of the political struggle faced by the International Whaling Commission. Its published by DeCapo Press.