- Over 150 dolphins killed in traditional Faroe Islands hunt
- Atlantic white-sided dolphins targeted in grindadráp
- Animal rights groups condemn unnecessary cruelty
More than 150 dolphins have been killed in the Faroe Islands, provoking outrage from animal rights NGOs as well as some disappointed islanders.
On Saturday, an estimated 156 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were purposely killed during the traditional grindadráp hunt at Skálabotnur.
Harrowing photos and video footage showed how the unfortunate animals were stabbed and sliced in the bay, painting the water blood red before being carried onshore, lined up, and killed.
Adult females were spotted being torn apart close to their calves, with their bodies leaking blood through the wooden pier into the water below.
The Faroe Islands are a self-governing archipelago in the North Atlantic between Norway and Iceland, part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The grindadráp, also known as the grind, typically kills hundreds of pilot whales yearly and was once a significant food source for the Faroese people.
Pilot whales are one of the largest types of dolphins. They are extremely gregarious and stay with their birth pods throughout their lives.
Locals use boats to herd the animals into shallow areas, where hunters may stand waist-deep in the water and stab them to death with spears and barbs, staining the water scarlet in dismal scenarios.
However, the painful technique is no longer necessary and has mainly become a tradition, infuriating animal rights advocates around the world who view the grind as wanton death.
With each passing year, individuals in charge of the grind confront increased opposition from their people, who believe the practice should be controlled to ensure that only a minimal number of dolphins are slaughtered.
They also contend that certain species, such as Atlantic white-sided and bottlenose dolphins, should be exempt from the mill.
On September 12, 2021, 1,428 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were killed on the same beach, prompting an international outcry.
Faroese officials established a temporary quota of 500 Atlantic white-sided dolphins per year for 2022 and 2023 to assuage opponents.
The Faroese claim that hunting is part of their culture and that it provides free food to their society.
However, more people are speaking out on social media, questioning why shooting Atlantic white-sided dolphins is still authorized at all.
This year’s grind caused numerous people to resort to social media, claiming that the procedure is unnecessary and that the islanders would be better served by watching dolphins swimming off their beaches.
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Tóta Árnadóttir, a resident of Skálabotnur, believes that watching them from the fjord will enhance their total enjoyment.
Tórun Beck stated: “The pilot whales from last week were not to be driven ashore because there was enough. But now you’re also killing Atlantic white-sided dolphins.
Who is hungry? Shame on you.
Irdi Jacobsen remarked, ‘We don’t have a tradition of shooting Atlantic white-sided dolphins, and I don’t see why we should do it now.
Atlantic white-sided dolphins have only been part of the grindadráp since 1992.
They are more agile and speedy than the long-finned pilot whales traditionally targeted in the grind, and their ability to be hunted today is exclusively due to advancements in boats that provide more power, speed, and maneuverability than traditional Faroese ships.
Rob Read, Chief Operating Officer of the Paul Watson Foundation UK, an ocean conservation organization that chronicles and works against the massacre of the grind, stated, “The grindadráp aside, the Faroese are a modern and wealthy society.
‘There is no need for this food to feed their community, and today’s killing will not cause retailers to carry less food.
“Once again, tradition is being used as an excuse, much like in other nations where tradition has been used to justify things like fox hunting and bullfighting.”
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