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Animal Planet's 'Whale Wars' back June 1 (VIDEO)

By April MacIntyre May 30, 2012, 16:28 GMT

Capt. Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, poses at the helm of the \'Steve Irwin\' in the port of Barcelona, Spain EPA/ALBERT OLIVE

Tune in lert as Animal Planet star Captain Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society return for a fifth adrenaline-fueled season of Whale Wars, one of the most-talked-about, best-performing and award-winning series to date.

Whale Wars documents the Sea Shepherds' ongoing whale defense campaign in the Southern Ocean as they wage a high-risk battle to find and stop Japanese ships from hunting whales in the name of research.

After last year's victorious campaign over the Japanese, the Sea Shepherds thought they had ended whaling in the Southern Ocean once and for all. But surprisingly, the Japanese are returning stronger than ever, and this time, they come with a military convoy and zero tolerance for the conservation group.

Anticipating the battle of a lifetime, the Sea Shepherds once again are trolling the Antarctic with surprise tactics, intense strategy and unparalleled passion.
 
Whale Wars: Episode 501
World Premiere Friday, June 1, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

After more than seven years of intense battles at sea, the Sea Shepherds believe they have finally driven the Japanese whaling fleet from the Southern Ocean forever. But now, Japan promises to return to Antarctica to resume its hunt, and the stakes for the Sea Shepherds are higher than ever.

Adding to the already intense conflict, the Japanese government is committing nearly $30 million to this year’s hunt to provide additional security against the Sea Shepherds. Hoping to end the war before it even begins, Captain Paul Watson develops a daring plan to prevent the whalers from killing a single whale.

For the first time ever, the Sea Shepherds head north and try to intercept the Japanese fleet before it can reach the whaling grounds. If the gamble fails, the Sea Shepherds risk missing the whalers entirely and sacrificing everything for which they’ve fought.

Paul deploys the helicopter, which locates a massive unknown target on the horizon. As the chopper closes in to confirm the target’s identity, the Sea Shepherds prepare to attack, and the war begins.