A new poll released today shows that the number of Japanese who don't support whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is growing - the 69 per cent figure is a slight increase on the number found by a similar poll last year. Perhaps surprisingly, the Greenpeace commissioned poll showed that 87 per cent were unaware that their tax money was being used to subsidise the whaling operation - to the tune of 500 million yen (about £2.4 million) each year.

With a name like that, whose heart can resist the urge to help this incontinent creature?

If you’ve missed out on the internet flurry around Mister Splashy Pants, here’s a quick low-down:

• Our international office started a competition to name one of the humpbacks that was tagged and being tracked to the Southern ocean where hunting for Minke and Humpback whales will begin this month
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