By Kirsten Massebeau

Welcome to Champions for Cetaceans first daily scoop. Each Day I will be presenting a cetacean event. I plan on making these posts very short in order that I may have time to put them up daily. That will allow subscribers to have a daily look into important ocean, and cetacean issues:

On September 23, 2012 a pod of 25-30 pilot whales was driven into the shallows Vestmanna in the Faroe Islands and slaughtered. The method is described here. Although the meat is poisonous with Mercury and other PCB’s the grinds continue. Since June 16, 2012  636 pilot whales have been slaughtered.

Link for the above data and grinds for current and past years 

The grind was reported on Vagaportal.fo as is every grind.

The grind is opposed by cetacean conservation groups worldwide because:

1) “The work has revealed damage to fetal neural development, high blood pressure, and impaired immunity in children, as well as increased rates of Parkinson’s disease, circulatory problems and possibly infertility in adults”.  (Source)

2) The killing method is inhumane as noted by WDCS International who have asked the Faroe Islands to stop the dolphin slaughters (Source)

3) The hunt is unsustainable. Pilot whale numbers are data deficient (Source)

In addition, dolphins have large brains very similar to mans as explored in this article on Dolphin Way

Champions for Cetaceans supports and end to this cruel hunting of dolphins. We appeal to the Faroe Islands to find a way to live in peace with these amazing beings. By ending the hunt they will also make the work load easier for the next generation of Faroe Islanders that will end up the caregivers for those negatively impacted by the toxic dolphin meat.

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