Happy Christmas Sea Shepherds Everywhere

But a special Christmas and thank you to all those at the sharp end of this campaign. Stay safe.

A Japanese Citizen Speaks: ''Japan tsunami relief funds go to save — whaling''

Putting it politely, the Japanese Government could never be accused of being the sharpest chisel in the box, one would only have to read my Fukushima coverage to have that endorsed.

That this same government knows that Japan's whaling activities are despised all over the world, passes up the perfect opportunity to end this outdated, barbaric practice, saying that it is no longer viable given the recent natural and man made disasters that have befallen the country.

Because if this most recent piece of insanity, the ripping off of tsunami relief fund to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, is in order to save face, and many think so, by sending their killing fleet to the Southern Ocean once more, then I'm lost for words to describe their way of thinking.

And so is the fellow that wrote this article, that says as much as needs to be said, letting me off the hook having to write (rant) more. But I shall just pull this sentence out of the body of the text.

And more importantly, whatever I gave to Japan, I will be giving more to Sea Shepherd to continue its fight against the Japanese whaling fleet

And he Japanese at that.

And that is something we all must remember, no money no direct action by Sea Shepherd, the only organisation that is actively involved in thwarting the Japanese killing machine in Antarctica. Where is Greenpeace?

I don't know what the budget is for running SeaShepherd.org, many many millions of dollars at least, and here's the rub; every last dollar given freely by a sensitive, caring public in order to put an end, once and for all, something that should have ended decades ago.

Volunteer dollars only, fighting corrupt, and it's all of that, government subsidies and money stolen from the victims of Japan's recent devastating tsunami.

And those volunteer dollars are the most important thing in the world, no money, no action and another thousand magnificent creatures meet their deaths in such a manner so cruel, so horrendous, that it makes me wonder just what we are as a species. In fact I think I have in the past gone so far as to question if indeed whalers are part of the same species as us, and not a sub-species of humanity in their own right.

With all this in mind, might I ask you to consider supporting Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, their activities are not directed at solely stopping this gruesome trade in whales, but the protection of dolphins, sharks, turtles and many other species around the globe.

There is a direct link to SSCS donations page in the side bar. Please help if you can, thank you.

Japan tsunami relief funds go to save — whaling.
Michael Yaki
Dec 13 2011



Once again, the subject of whale-killing has surfaced, and, once again, Japan decides to lead the annual “Coal in Stocking” holiday sweepstakes. Why?

Because the Japanese government just confirmed that it has targeted roughly $30 million of its special Tsunami reconstruction budget to provide additional and increased financial support for its notorious whaling industry.

That’s right. No joke. Of the billions being spent to rebuild villages and towns wiped out by the tsunami, to repair an electrical infrastructure crippled by the meltdowns in Fukushima, to safeguard millions from the continuing threat of radiation poisoning, the Japanese government thoughtfully determined that propping up a pariah industry was a priority as well. It has used the money to bulk up security for its factory vessels that are headed down, even as we speak, to the southern oceans to kill a thousand whales in the name of “science.” It is also triple what the whaling industry receives each year from the government.

In plain English, the Japanese government is using its tsunami largess to inject tens of millions of dollars into an industry that serves no useful purpose.




In response, the Japanese government has stated that no “donations” have been used to fund the whale-killing stimulus package, but we all know that just parses the real budget issues involved. For reasons unknown and unexplainable, the Japanese government is addicted to the whaling industry and, like all addicts who found a windfall, decided to go for the big score. But money is fungible. Just because you have $10, you can’t use all $10 to buy crack cocaine if you also need $5 of that ten to buy some milk for your cats. If your friend gives you $5, and you use that to buy milk, you can say with a straight face that none of that money went to buy $10 worth of crack. But anyone knows that without it, you wouldn’t have been able to get your fix. And that’s exactly what Japan has done with the tsunami donations it has received, enabling it to divert other budget funds into enhancing its ability to kill whales.

This expenditure is immoral. It is frivolous. It is a slap in the face of the millions of donors to Japan, many who, no doubt, deeply disagree with their whale hunting but who — like me — were willing to dig into their own pockets because it’s what neighbors, friends, members of the human community do in times of crisis. We don’t expect, however, to be told that our dollars enabled them to exponentially increase its proficiency at shooting exploding harpoon grenades into sentient marine mammals. And don’t let the party line of “we’re not killing endangered whales” let them off the hook. They target fin whales, the second-largest living being, and which is squarely the endangered species list. And there is more than credible evidence that the whaling fleet has killed critically endangered blue whales. And don’t buy “it’s part of our historic traditional diet” malarkey either. 95% of Japan doesn’t eat, or want to eat, whale meat.




I just don’t get it. There remains little, if any, justification for the hunting of whales, and what little there is is more than offset by the critically low population levels of many, if not most, of the remaining species still swimming freely in our increasingly polluted, crowded, and overharvested oceans. Whales bring in far more dollars alive than dead. Every year brings exciting new revelations shedding light on their intelligence, their social groupings, even signs of culture.

Japan could have used the tsunami as an excuse to invest money into the coastal villages that it says are “dependent” on whaling into other, better, and more economically prudent and lasting enterprises. It could have gracefully saved face from the annual shellacking it takes from the international community. Instead, it stubbornly decided to amp up the stakes even more.

Well, Japan, game on.

I won’t be so petty as to ask for my money back. But I believe that amongst the international community, notice should be taken of this ill-use of disaster relief funds when Japan asks for assistance in the future. And more importantly, whatever I gave to Japan, I will be giving more to Sea Shepherd to continue its fight against the Japanese whaling fleet. Last year, because of Sea Shepherd, the Japanese called off its hunt early. Against a better-funded Japanese fleet, it appears that once again cetacean lovers everywhere must spend part of their holiday funds to ensure peace in our oceans and goodwill for all whales. Source

Japan: Country in Tatters Irradiating the Planet at Alarming Rate But Can Still Find Millions of Yen to Slaughter World's Biggest Mammals

Japan Uses Tsunami Funds for Whaling
by Brittany Hahn
December 12, 2011

Times have been tough in terms of money. Families are struggling to make ends meet and to simply get by. With the trouble that the economy has put on many people, things are even more difficult when tragedy strikes. And strike it did in Japan. On Friday, March 11, 2011, the coast of Japan was hit with the most powerful earthquake in its history. The earthquake was a magnitude 9.0, and triggered tsunami waves of 40.5 meters. As a result of the destructive incident, 15,840 people lost their lives, and 5,950 people were injured. More than half a year later, both the country and its people are still recovering. There is still much rubble to clear away and rebuilding to be done, and the threat of radiation poisoning still looms. Empty towns stand as a reminder of what used to be. Additionally, 3,647 people are still missing.



Although there is still approximately 23 million tons of debris left to be removed, Japan has decided to allocate 2.28 billion yen ($30m US) to a more commercial operation: Whaling. This is in addition to its annual funds of $6 million. Greenpeace forced Japanese officials to divulge their financial plan. The executive director of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, commented, “It is absolutely disgraceful for the Japanese government to pump yet more taxpayer money on an unneeded, unwanted, and economically unviable whaling programme, when funds are desperately needed for recovery efforts.” I could not have put it more eloquently.




Japan officially granted the money to the Japan’s Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR), which is the agency that oversees the whaling operation. The program is carried out under the guise of research, but all whale meat is commercially sold. This year, the whaling operation plans to kill more than 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales in the Southern Ocean. As it is illegal to carry out such acts within this area, Sea Shepherd has vowed to stop them. Japan claims that this program will aid the towns wrecked by the tsunami. more

Obama and His Tart Conspire to Deny Sea Shepherd Pilot a Visa

If this is what world statesmanship has come to, I think we should to look to the playground for some replacements. Pathetic doesn't even come close.

Kids gear Sea Shepherd

What say you kiddywinks, are you up for the job?

Australian Government Attempts to Sabotage Sea Shepherd’s Campaign to Defend the Whales
December 5, 2011

On the eve of Sea Shepherd and its three ships' departure to defend whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, the government of Australia has tossed an obstruction in our path designed to delay our plans to confront the Japanese whaling fleet.

Chris Aultman, who has been our helicopter pilot annually since 2005, was today denied his visa to Australia. He was not given a reason for this decision.




Chris Aultman, a United States citizen, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corp, a professional helicopter pilot, a star of Animal Planet’s Whale Wars series, and a man who does not have a criminal record, has been told he will not be permitted a visa to enter Australia. The Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. would not give him a reason.

It appears that the Japanese ambassador to Australia has been making phone calls.



Australia denied visas for Captain Paul Watson and 1st officer Peter Hammarstedt two years ago. After a two-month delay, 25,000 Australian signatures on a petition, and the assistance of former Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell and Tasmanian Senator Bob Brown, Peter and Paul were finally granted visas. No reasons were given for the denial or the delay.

Sir Les Patterson, late Cultural Attaché to the Court of St James. sirlespatterson.com

Sir Les Patterson: The best place to hide something from a Pom is under a bar of soap. Wiki

Now it appears that Australia is seeking to keep the Sea Shepherd helicopter grounded by denying a visa to our veteran helicopter pilot. Australia has also refused to send a government ship to the Southern Ocean to keep the peace in the Australian Antarctic territorial waters and the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Captain Paul Watson spoke personally to Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke while attending the Australian Antarctic Expedition’s 100th year anniversary dinner in Hobart on December 1st.




Captain Paul Watson: Mr. Burke will you be sending a ship to keep the peace this year?

Tony Burke: That’s not going to happen.

Captain Paul Watson: I think it would be the responsible thing for Australia to do considering the potential threat from the whalers who have indicated they intend to be far more aggressive this season.

Tony Burke: Look, Japan requested that we send a ship to protect their ships from you. If we turned them down it’s only fair that we deny your request also.

Captain Paul Watson: Well, except for one thing. Our ships carry Australian citizens on our crew and we will be in the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters and it is your duty to protect Australian waters and Australian citizens.

Tony Burke: (shakes Captain Watson’s hand) It’s nice to meet you and stay safe down there.

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Captain Watson said after that conversation, “I wonder what the Minister will say if the Japanese injure any Australian citizens in Australian waters? I think this is grossly irresponsible of the government to refrain from due diligence in keeping the peace. Australia has stated that Japanese whaling is illegal and they recognize that it is being carried out in waters claimed by Australia. They know that Australian lives will be at risk and yet they refuse to get involved.”

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The denial of the visa for Chris Aultman is another indication of the Australian government’s hostility towards Sea Shepherd’s opposition to illegal whaling.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has received overwhelming support from the people of Australia. Unfortunately, the government of Australia does not reflect that support. This is the same government who promised just prior to election that they would take a tough stand against Japanese whaling.

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Update: Dec 8, 2011: Visa granted to Chris Aultman. Thank-you Senator Bob Brown.

Sea Shepherd helicopter pilot, Chris Aultman, has been granted a visa to enter Australia, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today. "I thank Immigration Minister Chris Bowen for his swift response to my request as to why two Sea Shepherd crew members were denied visas to enter Australia. Sea Shepherd's Chris Aultman and Tim Pierce, helicopter pilot and mechanic respectively, have both successfully applied before for visas to Australia. Mr. Pierce is expected to be able to also join his colleague in Australia," Senator Brown said. "The Japanese Government is sending a patrol boat from its Fisheries Agency to 'strengthen the protection' of whaling ships as they illegally hunt whales in Australia's territorial waters.

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Japan has also taken tens of millions of dollars out of tsunami relief funds to help finance the whale killing fleet heading to Antarctica. I have serious concerns that the presence of the patrol boat may escalate tensions when Sea Shepherd tries to protect the whales the Japanese ships are slaughtering. The Australian Government must have a plan in place to ensure safety as the Sea Shepherd fleet prepares to leave Australian ports to defend hundreds of whales from Japanese whaling ships," Senator Brown said. SeaShepherd

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Latest:December 9, 2011 Whalers file lawsuit against Sea Shepherd in US. Paul Watson dismisses it as frivolous. More

Australia Won't Protect Japan Whale Hunt

Australia won't protect Japan whale hunt
December 07, 2011



AUSTRALIA still doesn't buy Japan's argument that its whaling in the Southern Ocean is for scientific reasons and won't protect the hunt, Environment Minister Tony Burke says.

Japan's whaling fleet has set sail for the country's annual hunt in Antarctica, which it says is for scientific research, with security beefed up amid international protests.

Environmental activist group Sea Shepherd is preparing to confront the whalers and try to stop them harpooning whales.

Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson says both his group and Japan have each asked Australia to send a vessel to guard them from each other during what he expects to be intense high-seas confrontations.

"That is one of the reasons I asked Australia to send a vessel down to keep the peace, but they refused," Captain Watson said.

Mr Burke said Australia's position couldn't be more clear.

"We don't buy for one minute this argument that it is somehow scientific whaling," Mr Burke said today.

"You don't travel from one side of the globe to the other to harpoon whales and chop them up in the name of science."




The minister said Japan had asked for a higher level of protection for their vessels simply because they were to be involved in whaling.

"There is no way that we could countenance something like that," he said.

"I've said so publicly at the International Whaling Commission, and the fact that the opposition has now jumped on that same bandwagon doesn't change the fact that we have no plans to send a vessel down."

Captain Watson said it appeared the Japanese fleet was accompanied by two security vessels with security people and coast guard aboard.

"We are hoping to deter their operations," he said.

"I assume the security vessels will try and dislodge us."

He said an estimated $28 million that Japan had given to this campaign was likely behind the beefed-up security.

"That money did come from the earthquake relief fund," he said.

"I think that it's totally disgraceful. People from around the world sending money to help the victims of the Tsunami-earthquake were not expecting their money to be used to fund killing whales in the Southern Ocean."




The Sea Shepard fleet will set sail in about eight days on three ships.

The Steve Irwin and the Brigitte Bardot leave from Albany in Western Australia while the Bob Barker will depart from Hobart.

Comment was being sought from a spokesman for the whalers. news.com.au

The Twats Are On Their Way Japan Whalers Head for Antarctica

Japan whalers head for Antarctica

Japan's whaling fleet left port for the country's annual hunt in Antarctica, press pictures showed, with security measures beefed up amid simmering international protests.
06 December, 2011




Three ships, led by the 720-tonne Yushin Maru, set sail from Shimonoseki in western Japan on a mission officially said to be for "scientific research", according to local media reports.

The government's fishery agency declined to confirm the reports, citing security reasons.

In February, Japan cut short its hunt for the 2010-2011 season by one month after bagging only one fifth of its planned catch, blaming interference from the US-based environmental group Sea Shepherd.

The fleet aims to catch around 900 minke and fin whales this season, according to a plan submitted by the government to the International Whaling Commission.

Commercial whaling is banned under an international treaty but Japan uses a loophole to carry out "lethal research" on the creatures in the name of science.

It makes no secret of the fact that whale meat from this research ends up on dinner tables and in restaurants. TimesLive

Sharks piled high, rows of fins: Photos reveal breadth of killings in Taiwan

I don't think I can talk about this at the moment.

Sharks piled high, rows of fins: Photos reveal breadth of killings in Taiwan

By Juliet Eilperin
10/19/2011

Documenting the extent to which Taiwan is scouring the seas for sharks, the Pew Environment Group released a series of images Wednesday that capture that nation’s impact on global fisheries.

Shark fishing boats in Taiwan. ( Shawn Heinrichs for the Pew Environment Group) A series of photos and accompanying video suggest that Tawain, which reports the fourth-largest shark catch in the world, is an even greater player in the international shark trade than previously thought. The images capture imperiled shark species, such as scalloped hammerhead and oceanic whitetip, being prepared to be sold.

“These images present a snapshot of the immense scale of shark-fishing operations and show the devastation resulting from the lack of science-based management of sharks,“ said Matt Rand, director of global shark conservation at the Pew Environment Group. “Unfortunately, since there are no limits on the number of these animals that can be killed in the open ocean, this activity can continue unabated.” Scientists estimate the global shark fin trade kills between 26 million and 73 million sharks a year. Sharks have become an increasingly priority for enviornmentalists because of the rising prices of shark fins. California recently banned shark fin soup to curb the trade and a number of countries have created shark sancturaries to protect the animals from overfishing. Those measures have not stopped the trade. In Colombia, this week, the Guardian reports that divers discovered a huge shark massacre in a shark sanctuary of the cost of an islaned called Malpelo.

Taiwanese officials, contacted in Washington, emphasized that the catch Pew documented complied with both Taiwanese and international law. Only three shark species — whale, basking and white sharks — have international trade protections, and there are no global limits on shark fishing.

Grace Lin, deputy director of the economic division at the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office, said her country has a national action plan for sharks in place and is working to protect whale sharks, which swim in Taiwan’s waters. She added that as of Jan. 1 vessels will have to land sharks with fins attached, a move aimed at curbing the fin trade.

“We are aware of this,” Lin said of the massive shark trade in her nation.

Shark fins at a processing warehouse in Taiwan.

The U.S.-based environmental Pew Environment Group expressed concern over new photos that seem to show the killing of large numbers of "biologically vulnerable" sharks by fishermen in Taiwan

Shark fins

The remains of sharks after their fins have been removed.

A shark processing plant in Taiwan. (Shawn Heinrichs for the Pew Environment Group) WaPo

Shark Massacre Reported in Colombian Waters

It really is time countries stopped fucking about with these bastards. Gun boats in and sink the fuckers. Forget arresting them, forget international law, because that ain't worth a goddamn, you only have to ask NATO that. Forget the mister nice guy, sink the fuckers.

And let us not forget the root cause of all this, the fucking chinks and all the other slitty-eyed fuckers who indulge in this shit. Fucking twats!

Shark massacre reported in Colombian waters

Environmental authorities say up to 2,000 hammerhead, Galápagos and whale sharks were slaughtered for their fins
Sibylla Brodzinsky in Bogota
19 October 2011

Colombian environmental authorities have reported a huge shark massacre in the Malpelo wildlife sanctuary in Colombia's Pacific waters, where as many as 2,000 hammerhead, Galápagos and whale sharks may have been slaughtered for their fins.

Sandra Bessudo, the Colombian president's top adviser on environmental issues, said a team of divers who were studying sharks in the region reported the mass killing in the waters surrounding the rock-island known as Malpelo, some 500 kilometres from the mainland.

"I received a report, which is really unbelievable, from one of the divers who came from Russia to observe the large concentrations of sharks in Malpelo. They saw a large number of fishing trawlers entering the zone illegally," Bessudo said. The divers counted a total of 10 fishing boats, which all were flying the Costa Rican flag.

"When the divers dove, they started finding a large number of animals without their fins. They didn't see any alive," she said. One of the divers provided a video that shows the finless bodies of dead sharks on the ocean floor.

Calculating an average of 200 sharks per boat, "our estimates are that as many as 2,000 sharks may have been killed," Bessudo said.

The sanctuary covers 8,570 square kilometres of marine environment that provides a habitat for threatened marine species – in particular sharks. Divers have reported sightings of schools of more than 200 hammerhead sharks and as many as 1,000 silky sharks in the protected waters, one of the few areas in the world where sightings of short-nosed ragged-toothed shark, known locally as the "Malpelo monster," have been confirmed. In 2006 Unesco included the park on its list of World Heritage sites.

Bessudo, a marine biologist, has spent much of her career in Malpelo and fighting to preserve the unique marine environment there.

But the high concentration of sharks in Malpelo and the remoteness of the marine sanctuary draws illegal fishing boats from nearby nations which trap the sharks, strip them of their fins, and throw them back into the water. Shark fin soup, considered a delicacy of Chinese cuisine, can fetch £63 per bowl in a Hong Kong restaurant.

Colombia's navy sporadically patrols the waters and maintains a small outpost on the 1.2 square metre island, which is 36 hours from the nearest port. At the time of the reported shark finnings, however, no navy ships were nearby.

Once the report of the finnings were made public, the navy dispatched a ship to the area and on Sunday reported the seizure of an Ecuadorian fishing boat, caught with an illegal catch of 300kg, including sharks and other species.

At the same time, Colombia's foreign ministry took up the issue with the Costa Rican government, which vowed to co-operate to help stop the practice by ships registered under its flag.

In a communiqué, the Costa Rican foreign ministry said it "energetically condemns" the reported finning and said it would prosecute if the participation of Costa Rican flagged ships were involved. At least three of the ships were identified by their names: the Marco Antonio, the Jefferson and the Andy. Guardian

Research Me Feckin Arse Says Teddy

And other bits of information, not least, Sea Shepherds, git'nr done

Committee on Special Permit Research Whaling Interim Report

http://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/study/enyou/pdf/chukantorimatome.pdf

[The translation is not official.]

3. Research Mechanism and Financial Resources

The following opinions were given regarding the research mechanism and financial
resources of the whaling research program:

● The current system of allocating the profits from the sale of byproducts (whale meat) to cover the research costs is not working very well. This is because 1) catch volume has decreased in recent years because of obstruction by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society while 2) sales performance is poor because of the disparity between demand and the [designated] market price, which was originally determined based on the research cost.




● If the program is to be continued as a part of national strategy, the current system of covering the costs of research from the sales of by-products should be reviewed, and the whaling research program should be conducted with improved stability under the national budget.

● Considering the growth of domestic whale meat stocks and the current demand for whale meat, coastal whaling is sufficient to cover needs. There is no need to continue the whaling research program in the Antarctic, with its incumbent high costs and risks.

● The income and expenditure of the whaling research program is not sufficiently transparent due to the current system in which the Institute of Cetacean Research engages Kyodo Senpaku to sell the by-products, and Kyodo Senpaku buys the unsold products at the end of each term and puts them on the market. It would be preferable for Kyodo Senpaku to specialize in the chartering business while the sale of by-products is entrusted to some other party.

● Another very important issue is to delocalize and vitalize whale meat distribution and consumption by promoting its nutritional benefits and cooking methods.



4. Other

There were a couple of other opinions such as the following:

● The Antarctic research was cut short due to harassment by anti-whaling NGOs and the catch volume was well below target. As a result, the Institute of Cetacean Research and Kyodo Senpaku have suffered a great financial loss and urgently need government measures to compensate their losses from the current operation.

● Japanese small-type whaling businesses are having difficulty surviving. Rather than continue the Antarctic whaling program, it is more important to concentrate on coastal whaling, which is rooted in our whaling tradition and food culture, and to resume the commercial hunting of minke whales under small-type whaling.
(p11)



Ⅳ[IV] Summary

This interim report summarizes the discussions at five whaling research commission meetings for the purpose of hearing a variety of opinions on the stable conduct of whaling research. Many opinions were expressed at the meetings regarding the whaling research - a majority suggested we should “continue with a resolute attitude (toward the research)" while a minority proposed to "downsize or end the research because of global criticism and cost efficiency".

None of these opinions proposed to expose the research vessels or the lives and assets of the crew to danger. On the contrary, the assurance of safety in the execution of the survey was considered essential and a basic premise.

We hope that this interim report will be taken into consideration during the formulation of future whaling policy.

Translation
JWCS Volunteer staff: Rie Semba, Simon Varnam Source

Juan Jose Padilla My Heart Bleeds For You Not: Re-Up

Update: Re-upped to include video in living gory colour. I normally have a severe aversion to gore, but on this occasion I'm quite delighted to make an exception.

Big tip of the hat to video compiler and uploader, meanstreak1977

As you might well imagine, the comments section is dripping with sympathy.

That must have hurt, all those barbs in the back. Poor bull, at least he took half the matadors face with him.
face off!
Nice shoes
haha...awesome. take that you wanker

-

I normally reserve my little saying: Isn't it nice, when the twats of this world get theirs? for fallen public figures. But I shall allow myself a little divergence today and say, in the case of Juan Jose Padilla, bullfighter, isn't it nice, when the twats of this world get theirs?

Shame the bull didn't poke your other eye out, you twat.

Juan Jose Padilla, Spain Bullfighter, Suffers Terrifying Face Goring
by Harold Heckle
Oct 8, 2011

MADRID -- A Spanish bullfighter is likely to suffer facial paralysis and lose the sight in one eye after a terrifying goring, the hospital treating him said Saturday.

Television images showed the moment when the bull's left horn ripped into Juan Jose Padilla's lower jaw to emerge beside his protruding eyeball as spectators in the northeastern city of Zaragoza screamed in horror.

Padilla is in a stable condition and recovering from a five-hour operation to repair his face, the statement from the Miguel Servet Hospital said.

It said Padilla, 39, suffered eye, bone, muscle and skin damage when the bull pinned him to the ground and gored him. Surgeons had not been able to repair a severed facial nerve.




TV footage also showed Padilla getting up from the ring, his face gushing blood, as the bull was distracted by bullring assistants.

"I can't see, I can't see anything," the matador shouted as he was rushed to emergency facilities at Zaragoza's Misericordia bullring before being driven to the hospital.

The bull, named Marques, weighed 508 kilograms (1,120 pounds) and was the second fighting beast Padilla had faced late Friday, during the second day of the annual Virgen del Pilar festivities in Zaragoza.

Surgeons used titanium plates and mesh to reconstruct parts of Padilla's facial bone structure and eye socket, doctors Simon Sanz and Nadal Cristobal said in a very detailed, signed statement.

Padilla was lucky the horn did not penetrate his brain, said Vicente Yesteras, one of Padilla's retinue of bullring helpers. huffpo

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