Just one country’s vote could end whaling in the South Atlantic forever. Tell Tanzania to be that country.Ask Tanzania’s president to ensure that his country votes for whales at September’s International Whaling Commission meeting.

The fate of South Atlantic whales hangs in the balance. Just one country’s vote could save these whales — or doom them.

I’m heading to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meetings, where nations will vote on creating a whale and dolphin sanctuary of the entire South Atlantic Ocean from the Equator to Antarctica. The last time this plan was proposed, whales lost by one vote.

In the past, Japan has put intense pressure on other nations to vote in their interest, even giving bribes. This year, we need to convince at least one of these countries that living whales are worth more than Japan’s gifts. That country is Tanzania.

Greenpeace will soon be delivering Tanzania’s president a letter, outlining all the reasons that his country should support whales. But he also needs to hear from you.

Just one country’s vote could protect South Atlantic whales from whalers. Join us in asking Tanzania’s president, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, to support whales.

Why will Tanzania listen to us? This small country benefits greatly from tourists visiting the Serengeti and whale-watching in the Indian Ocean, which is already an IWC designated whale sanctuary.

Tanzania has taken incredible steps to protect its own wildlife — but two years ago, it voted against creating a sanctuary for whales in the South Atlantic Ocean. Tanzania’s vote was all about money. But together we can show them that voting with Japan is bad for their tourism industry.

This hypocrisy could be the only thing standing in the way of the South Atlantic whale sanctuary. If the Tanzanian government chooses to side with Japan — again — it needs to know that it risks losing tourism dollars from the thousands of nature lovers who visit their wildlife preserves and go whale watching in Tanzania every year.

The South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary would protect whales from Antarctica to the Equator. Tell Tanzania to give them a chance.

Together we’ve already won many victories for whales: the current global moratorium on commercial whaling, stopping dangerous seismic testing off the coast of California, exposing Japan’s vote-buying at the IWC and just recently having the International Justice Court rule against Japan’s “scientific” whaling program in the Southern Ocean. But as long as whales can be hunted in the South Atlantic, it leaves the door open for thousands to be killed in the future. Eventually it will be too late to save them.

If we can pressure Tanzania to vote the right way, we have a chance to make history at this year’s IWC and save thousands of whales from a brutal fate. Are you with me?

Ask Tanzania to make the right choice for whales and our oceans.

Make sure your voice is heard. We can protect these whales — forever.

For the whales,

Phil Kline
Greenpeace USA Senior Oceans Campaigner

P.S.  Let Tanzania know the world is watching. Sign our letter to President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete today asking his country to vote for the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary.