Warning
BUTCHERED FOR TRADITION
HUNTERS have butchered 23 whales are butchered during an annual hunt called “the grind” in the Faroe Islands.
The sea was turned red with the blood from the dead mammals in the picturesque bay and an unborn calf was also cut from the womb of its dead mother.
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The pilot whales were slaughtered for their meat and blubber as young children can be seen looking at the animals on the dockside.
Tourists watched on and snapped photos metres away from the dead whales.
This centuries-old tradition helps feed the population of the remote Atlantic island over winter with the Faroese locals claiming it is sustainable and regulated by law.
But campaign groups say it is inhumane and want the hunts banned.
Charity Sea Shepherd UK documented the killing on Friday in the bay of Hvalvik.
It claims this is the 10th whale hunt in the Faroe Islands this year, with 536 pilot whales slaughtered in total.
The charity heard reports of a hunt - known locally as a grind - happening in Hvalvik.
It watched on as fishermen in boats drove the defenceless whales towards the shore.
A spokesman for the campaign group said: “Over the course of the lengthy drive more and more members of the public and tourists could be seen stopping along the coastline to watch the family of pilot whales struggle and resist.
WORLD'S OLDEST WHALE HUNT
“As is often the case, the grind was swiftly becoming a social event with parents laughing and chatting as children played on the killing beach.
“The level of excitement was clearly growing as anticipation of the brutality came closer, epitomising the social aspect of the grind was the sight of a youth group - possibly a guides or scout group - sat eagerly watching and waiting.”
The Sea Shepherd UK crew filmed and photographed the hunt.
A charity spokesman added: “Grind participants ran cheering into the pod to start attaching ropes and pulling individuals out to begin slaughtering.
“Though, as usual, the ‘humane’ process of killing the pilot whales was far from it, with multiple unsuccessful attempts to paralyse the with the lance were observed on a number of the pod.
“Having previously observed other pilot whale drives our crew noted that this pod had clearly been worn out or resigned to their fate as little to no cries were heard from the pod.
“As the family were laid out on the docks the all too familiar and disturbing images of children jumping on and playing with the dead could be seen.
ANCIENT TRADTION What is The Grind?
THE grind, or grindadrap, is a yearly whale hunt that takes place on the Faroe Islands.
During a grind, a flotilla of small boats drives whales or dolphins into a shallow bay where they can be easily killed with knives.
Grinds are the longest continuously practiced and relatively unchanged whaling tradition in the world, says Russell Fielding, a geographer from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
He has studied the Faroe Island grinds since 2005.
"They do feel a real cultural attachment to [the grinds]," notes Fielding. "However, the Faroese are quick to point out that it is for food primarily."
The meat can be boiled, broiled as a steak, or air-dried, says Bjarki Dalsgarŏ, a 28-year-old Faroese who has participated in grinds.
"Air-dried whale meat is quite common and is considered a bit of a delicacy," he notes.
It is usually eaten raw in thin slices. In his family, the blubber is eaten as a side, along with potatoes.
“As the process continued crew witnessed one juvenile being laid out to be butchered and the harrowing sight of one unborn calf being cut from their mother’s womb.
“The calf appeared to be mere days or weeks from being born.
“In another case a small foetus was witnessed being removed.
“Our crew learnt from one participant that the unborn are not eaten and would later be ‘returned to the sea’, an eloquent way of saying their bodies will be unceremoniously dumped.
“The Faroese often talk of the tradition behind the grindadrap and specifically the respect shown to the pilot whales.
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“Video and photographs from the 10th grind of 2019 clearly show this not to be the case, with images of people and tourists taking selfies with the murdered pod.
“Children were playing with fins, kicking and punching the bodies, walking on them and worryingly seen running around the dock carrying the traditional knives that are used as part of the grindadrap.”
In September 2018, the charity offered the Faroe Islands 1 million Euros for 10 consecutive years with no whale hunts.
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