Two very large kills of pilot whales have just occurred in the Faroe Islands
In total, in just one day this week, around 444 pilot whales were taken: 226 in Vestmanna, a town on the island of Streymoy, and 178 in Leynar, a village on the western coast of the same island. Official figures have not been issued yet but, by the local norms, these are large kills.
The annual take in the islands is around 660 pilot whales, and an additional 133 dolphins, and this is normally the result of multiple hunts. However, in just one terrible day the hunters on one island have taken more than 2/3 of their usual total annual take. The hunters have said that they will be widely distributing the meat and blubber around several islands and districts.
OceanCare strongly condemns these ongoing devastating killings of whales and dolphins in the islands and continues to work for an end to these unnecessary, unethical and cruel hunts.
Sources
various website in Faroese language including: https://dagur.fo/sedlarnir-koma-ut-klokkan-16