The water turned red, and the bodies of the animals lay on the beach hours after they were stabbed with knives. Small children were also seen in the large crowd watching everything from the shore. This controversial tradition is known as “grindadráp” – a Viking cultural tradition in which pilot whales (Eng. pilot whales) and dolphins are driven into shallow waters and killed there, according to “The Mirror”.
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Then the fishermen pull out their knives and stab them until they die.
When boats herd the pilot whale pods close enough to the shore, the frightened animals are driven into shallow waters and pushed onto the beach. Then the fishermen pull out their knives and stab them until they die. Residents of the Faroe Islands claim that this hunt, which also kills calves and unborn animals, is sustainable and regulated by law, but animal rights organizations seek to ban this practice, which is considered cruel.
This animal killing took place just over 200 miles north of Scotland, in Hvalvík Bay, on Streymoy Island. It is believed to be the second hunt of 2026. Valentina Crast, campaigns director for “Sea Shepherd”, participated in the first hunt last month – one of about 10 such hunts per year, during which more than a thousand whales are killed.
In the first week of May, more than 125 pilot whales (Eng. pilot whales) and several dolphins were killed near the village of Sándavágur on Vágar Island. Describing what she saw, the activist said: “Every pod contains pregnant females and calves. In almost any other hunting community, these animals would be protected. Pregnant females, unborn calves, newborns, and small calves would not be considered legitimate targets. However, in the chaos of the Faroe Islands, they are killed indiscriminately.”
In previous years, the charity “Sea Shepherd” documented the killings. In September 2018, the group offered the Faroe Islands 1 million euros for 10 consecutive years in exchange for ending whale hunting.
A spokesperson for the campaign group previously stated: “As mammals were driven into shallow waters, more and more locals and tourists were seen stopping along the coast to watch the pilot whale family struggle and resist. As is often the case, this hunt gradually turned into a social event – parents laughed and talked, while children played on the beach where the killing was taking place. Excitement visibly grew as the moment of brutality approached. The culmination was a group of young people – perhaps scouts or a similar organization – who sat eagerly watching and waiting. Although this process is often described as ‘humane’, in reality, it was far from it,” the statement said.
