Brutal slaughter of pilot whales in Denmark’s Faroe Islands

Saturday, July 31st 2010 - 05:23 UTC

Full article 31 comments

A disembowelled pilot whale next to her calf

The disembowelled bodies of brutally slaughtered whales line a dockside just 230 miles from Britain - as families with children wander among them, according to a report from The Sun.

More than 200 protected pilot whales were hacked to death with knives and sharpened hooks by fishermen who trapped them in coves on the Faroe Islands.

Disturbing images show deep gouges where whalers hacked at the animals to sever their spinal cords. Others show the bodies of unborn calves torn from their mothers' wombs.

Crowds of islanders, including youngsters, gathered to watch the slaughter, known as “the grind”.

Anti-whaling activist Peter Hammarstedt, 28, exposed last week's killings by posing as a film-maker in the fishing town of Klaksvik.

He said: “One whale had five to six chops to her head. Her death would have been slow and extremely painful. Some whales are hacked repeatedly for up to four minutes until they finally die. When I got to the docks it was a truly gruesome sight.”

Swede Peter, a member of activist group Sea Shepherd, said he counted 236 dead whales before he was recognised by a local and made his escape.

Pilot whales are classified as “strictly protected” under EU rules. The Faroes are a protectorate of Denmark and Sea Shepherd says the Danes are failing in their obligations by allowing the slaughter to continue.

Locals kill whales for food. A Fisheries Office spokesman said: “We use the most efficient and humane means of killing”.

But Campaign Whale director Andy Ottaway said: “This appalling slaughter must end. It's an unfolding tragedy.”

Categories: Environment, Fisheries, International.

Tags: Denmbark, Faroe Islands, whales.

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Think
For helvede Færøerne!
Hvornår vil dette complete idioti ende?
I skader jeres sag på en måde som er simpelthen umuligt at beskrive.
Selv om mange af jeres argumenter er rigtige, bliver i nød til at leve i den XXI århundrede.
En ven........
Jul 31st, 2010 - 07:07 am 0
rnsune
Those people are brutal, disgusting and need to be stopped when it comes to these whale killings. I watched the video and was horrified. Man is a highly evolved creature with technology at his fingertips....why act like a damn chimp? This must stop.
Jul 31st, 2010 - 07:35 am 0
Think
(2)rnsune
I totally agree...
And the best way to do it is for the EU to target their Fishing Industry.
They are 90% dependent of it and just a threat of increased levies would force them to stop this madness.......
They are the nicest people but stubborn, obdurate and stiff-necked as many other Islanders over the world.
But they know how many cents make one Dollar......

That goes for the Malvinas too......
Jul 31st, 2010 - 07:57 am 0

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