Abstract
Physical model experiments, as well as simulations of the effects of grenade harpooning on anaesthetized pigs fully immersed in water suggest that the shock effect of the blast from the currently used grenades is relatively minor. Also the animals are not stunned to death, but loose consciousness and subsequently die from hemorrhage. Survival time is therefore very short if the animals are hit in the thorax, and is likely to be further reduced if the charge which is currently used is increased, or, even better, if shrapnel (fragment scattering) grenades are used instead of blast grenades.
Keywords: minke whale, bowhead whale, Balaewoptera acutorostrata, Balaena mysticetus, humane killing
Sammanfattning
Fysiske modelleksperimenter og simulering av effekten av granatharpuner i anesteserte griser, som var helt nedsenket i vann, indikerer at sjokkeffekten av eksplosjonen fra de for tiden brukte granatene er relativt liten, og det er lite som tyder på at dyrene vanligvis dør av eksplosjonssjokket. Det er derimot trolig at dyrene mister bevisstheten og derefter dør som følge av blodtab. Overlevelsestiden er derfor svært kort hvis dyrene blir truffet i brystet, og vil sannsynligvis bli ytterligere redusert hvis ladningen i granaten økes, eller ennu bedre, om man tar i bruk splintgranater isteden for de nu brukte sjokkgranater.
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