The Cove (2009)

Richard O'Barry: Self - Earth Island Institute

Photos 

Quotes 

• Richard O'Barry : The thing that turned me around was the death of Flipper, of Cathy. She was really depressed. I could feel it. I could see it. And she committed suicide in my arms. That's a very strong word, suicide. But you have to understand dolphins and other whales are not automatic air breathers, like we are. Every breath they take is a conscious effort. And so they can end their life whenever life becomes too unbearable by not taking the next breath. And it's in that context I use the word suicide. She did that. She swam into my arms, looked me right in the eye, and took a breath... and didn't take another one.

• Richard O'Barry : If you aren't an activist you're an inactivist

• Richard O'Barry : There are lots of groups here in Japan: World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, International Fund for Animal Welfare. They all make hundreds of millions of dollars between them. This is the largest slaughter of dolphins in the wold. Where are they?

• Richard O'Barry : A dolphin in the right spot can make a million dollars a year. There's a lot of money in it. If you get in their way - and I get in their way - it can be very, very dangerous.

• Richard O'Barry : Here in Taiji, you can go to the Whale Museum and watch the dolphin show and eat a dolphin at the same time. They sell dolphin and whale meat right in the dolphinarium!

• [last lines] 

  Richard O'Barry : Right now, I'm focusing on that one little body of water, where that slaughter takes place. If we can't stop that, if we can't fix that, forget about the bigger issues.