Apr 17, 2007 11:36 am US/Pacific
Group Calls For Action To Save Whale Population
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (CBS) ―
An organization dedicated to saving whales called Tuesday for international action to protect the species from dying off.
The "Save the Whales Again" campaign is designed to inform people about what individuals can do to help save the animals, Jeff Pantukhoff, president of Whaleman Foundation said.
Whales around the world are dying due to a number of human-related causes, including global warming, Pantukhoff said.
"In addition, nations are increasingly killing whales for commercial purposes, in spite of a worldwide moratorium ... (and) we must protect these gentle giants permanently, now," Pantukhoff said in a statement.
A news conference was planned Tuesday afternoon in Hollywood, where a number of celebrities were expected to be on hand, including Hayden Panettiere of "Heroes" and Alexandra Paul of "Baywatch."
The campaign is being conducted in advance of the May 27 meeting in Alaska of the International Whaling Commission, which will discuss the future of whaling.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
