575 Minke Whales Slaughtered During Norwegian Whaling Season

Norway is one of three countries that still hunt whales commercially.

As their controversial whale hunting season ends, animal activists are heartbroken to hear that 575 minke whales were slaughtered.

Even though the demand for whale meat has declined, the killings only increase every year. Whalers have killed the most whales this year since 2016.

A recent poll conducted on 1,037 citizens ranging in age from 18 to 87 found only 2% of Norwegians eat whale meat often, which is down from 4% in 2019.

65% of people surveyed found it unacceptable that 1 out of 5 of harpooned whales do not die instantly. To make matters even worse, 2/3 of whales killed are female and half are pregnant.

“This is nothing short of ecocide,” states Vanessa Williams-Grey, policy manager at Whale and Dolphin Conservation. “Killing hundreds of minke whales is utterly inexcusable, especially given the essential role they play in our oceans. Whales are our allies in the battle against climate change.”

Whaling is illegal in most countries, and it is time for it to be banned worldwide. “The International Whaling Commission’s 1982 moratorium on commercial whaling has saved the lives of a multitude of whales,” states Humane Society International.

But Norway, Iceland, and Japan have all found a loophole that allows them to continue whaling.

Minke whales are considered the smallest of the “great whales”, even though they can grow up to 35 feet long. They have a lifespan up to 50 years and (for now) can be found in oceans around the world.

They don’t deserve to die a painful death by harpoon.

Faroe Islands, islands located off the coasts of Norway and Iceland, are notoriously known for their annual dolphin and whale slaughter, which is taking place now. In just one day, they brutally killed 1428 Atlantic white-sided dolphins. It can only be described as a “heartbreaking massacre”.

The devastating loss initiated a global campaign, #stopthegrind to stop the killings once and for all.

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