Dolphin killings in the Faroe Islands have continued with another 52 slaughtered – just days after 1,400 were killed in a beach bloodbath.
Haunting images have shown more pilot whales which were horrifically slaughtered in the Faroe Islands last night, 22nd Sept.
This comes less than two weeks after a brutal massacre of more than 1,400 dolphins in what was believed to be the largest mass slaughter of the animals in recent history.
The additional hunt took place last night in a village called Kollafjørður, and saw 53 pilot whales – a type of large dolphin – killed in the traditional hunt.
This village is just 10km away from where 1,428 Atlantic White Sided Dolphins were slaughtered on September 12.
The annual hunting in the Faroe Islands – known as Grindadráp – sees dolphins and whales herded into a bay by local boats before having their spinal cords severed.
The countless bloodied dolphin bodies are then lined up to be distributed around the area – with the horrifying pictures showing many of the dolphins killed in this recent massacre.
Marine conservation charity Sea Shepherd UK has been campaigning against the routine massacres for many years, headed up by Chief Operating Officer Rob Read, 47.
No animal is spared
Rob said: “Many people aren’t even aware of this practice – it is such a cruel thing to do.
“In these killings, no animal is spared – adults, calves, and even pregnant mothers.”
Part of the kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are an archipelago which are situated 230 miles north-west of mainland Scotland.
The Grindadráp is a cultural tradition which dates back hundreds of years to the time when locals were reliant on whale and dolphin meet to survive.
Similar hunts are known to take place in Peru, Japan and the Soloman Islands.
Pods of dolphins and whales are forced up onto a beach before being killed – and the activity can see an entire genetic group wiped out.
Rob added: “There is no need for the meat in Faroe Islands nowadays and it shouldn’t be happening.”
“Now, it is little more than sport, using tradition as justification, and that’s why we campaign against it.
“This is why we will never give up opposing it and we’re determined to raise awareness to make change.”
Related: Fury at slaughter of dolphins on Faroes – far more than last year