Whale crusaders

The Sea Shepard Conservation Society, a nonprofit conservation organization that focuses on ending the destruction and slaughter of marine wildlife recently unveiled a new vessel that will be used to combat Japanese whalers in Antarctica.

In December, the new ship—the Ady Gil—will accompany the society’s flagship, Steve Irwin, from Australia to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, where the ships and volunteers will intervene on illegal whaling.

Capt. Paul Watson, the society’s president and founder, will use the new vessel, which can reach speeds of up to 50 knots, to physically block harpoon ships from illegally slaughtering whales.

“We are very optimistic that with these two ships, and some other surprises, we will shut down whaling in the Antarctic whale sanctuary,” Watson said in a recent statement.