Over 100 Bottlenose Dolphins Stabbed to Death as Faroe Islanders Continue Their 'Traditional' Dolphin Hunt

Around 100 bottlenose dolphins have died amid new Faroe Island dolphin hunting that occurred on Friday, July 29.

The sea turned red as Faroe islanders reportedly stabbed dolphins to death using a variety of blunt objects like hooks, knives, and spears.

Some of the marine animals also suffocated on shore while grasping for oxygen after a number of inhabitants in Faroe Islands lined them up waiting to be butchered.

A footage of the display was made available in the days after the perceived gruesome event.

However, the locals claimed it is part of their tradition.

The incident also sparked fresh outrage on social media, particularly after details of the slaughter emerged over the weekend.

While deemed by residents to be normal, some wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists are denouncing the practice, which has been ongoing for several centuries already.

Due to its cultural roots, the Faroese authorities, since the 1940s, have only regulated the dolphin hunting activity, instead of completely banning them.

The European island country is part of Denmark but is a self-governing entity situated in the North Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and Norway.

100 Bottlenose Dolphins Killed

(Photo : Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A shocking footage, initially taken by the non-profit wildlife conservation organization Sea Shepherd UK, of the dolphin killings was uploaded by the Independent on Saturday, July 30.

The recording is in addition to the myriad of videos posted online, showing the mammals were lined up in a pier.

The UK-based media outlet said that a conservationist is claiming that the latest incident signals the world that the hunters are ignoring the opinion of other citizens of Faroe Islands or the international community.

Meanwhile, the conservation group estimated that the animal victims included 98 adults, including an unborn dolphin baby and a young calf.

The recent dolphin killings came several weeks after local authorities reduced the maximum number of dolphins that can be killed to 500 each year.

In September 2021, the largest number of fatalities linked to the event occurred when approximately 1,400 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were killed.

This echoed to the international community, especially in the United Kingdom.

Also Read: Faroe Islands Hunting Season Commence with 60 Pilot Whales Slaughter

Faroe Islands Dolphin Hunt

In particular, the incident occurred in Skalafjorour where the dolphins were dragged into its bay.

It is also the same site where the September 2021 Faroe dolphin hunt transpired, according to the Daily Mail.

The UK newspaper also cited the sentiment of the conservation group, The Blue Planet Society, after it condemned the dolphin mass killings via social media, as well as posted photos of it.

According to Only One, Inc., a US-based non-profit organization, the so-called annual pilot whale hunt, or sometimes referred to as "The Grind," have been questioned by both locals and health experts.

The skepticism towards the practice is reportedly based on decades of research that shows eating dolphin and pilot whale meat has health consequences, including the presence of mercury levels stored in the fats of the marine animals.