Conservation

Residents of the Faroe Islands have slaughtered about 250 pilot whales in the last 24 hours, according to reports from Sea Shepherd and global media that are following the breaking story.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported that whale pods — which migrate past these North Atlantic islands in mid-summer — were herded onto two beaches. Graphic Sea Shepherd video footage shows villagers in knee-deep water killing the whales by hand with lances among geysers of blood from the dying whales.

Sea Shepherd

Pilot Whale Slaughter in the Faroe Islands via Sea Shepherd

Seven protesters have been arrested for trying to interfere in what Faroe Islanders call the “grindadráp,” or annual traditional hunts. It appeared that the hunts were being conducted under the protection of the Danish Navy (Denmark rules the Faroes).

“It was perfectly clear that the Danish navy ships Triton and Knud Rasmussen were present to guard one grindadráp, and that the slaughter [only] proceeded with the full consent of the Danish navy,” Capt. Wyanda Lublink of Sea Shepherd told the Guardian. “How Denmark — an anti-whaling member nation of the European Union, subject to laws prohibiting the slaughter of cetaceans — can attempt to justify its collaboration in this slaughter is incomprehensible.”

Sea Shepherd footage puts the count of slaughtered whales at more than 250 on the two beaches.

According to Sea Shepherd releases, arrested protesters could face up to
two years imprisonment if they are found guilty of breaching the Faroese Pilot Whaling Act.

Read more about Sea Shepherd’s account of the last few days here.

Our sister site Sport Diver, is also reporting on this event here.

Sea Shepherd

Sea Shepherd’s Pilot Whale Defense Campaign in the Faroe Islands