Why are dolphins killed in Denmark?

Grindadráp is the local name for a yearly traditional event where people of the Faroe Islands, a self-governing archipelago under Denmark, hunt long-finned pilot whales, white-sided dolphins and other sea mammals. The locals say whaling is essential to their survival and the meat and blubber are needed for sustenance.

Do people in Denmark eat dolphins?

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The slaughter of 1,428 white-sided dolphins over the weekend, part of a four-century-old traditional drive of sea mammals into shallow water where they are killed for their meat and blubber, has reignited a debate on the small Faeroe Islands.

Why is whale hunting a problem?

The future for whales is threatened by countries’ disregarding and working to lift the IWC’s moratorium on commercial whale hunting, as well as vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglement, ocean pollution (including marine debris), habitat loss and human-created, loud noise.

What does Denmark do with whales?

800 whales are killed every year to provide meat and blubber to the people of the Faroe Islands in Denmark; this is part of their natural diet. Every whale slaughtered provides communities with several hundred kilos of meat which otherwise would have to be imported.

Do people eat dolphins?

Eating dolphin meat may seem abhorrent to most Americans, but many cultures around the world include marine mammals in their diets. For instance, people on the tropical island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean can legally hunt and eat dolphins. Vincent, where about two-thirds of the residents eat marine mammal meat.

Do Danes eat whale?

A centuries old tradition in Denmark leads to the mindless slaughter of whales annually. On 29 May, 145 pilot whales and seven white-sided dolphins were killed in Torshavn bay, Faroe Islands in Denmark. This annual whale slaughter is called Grindadráp by the local Danish community, reports Conde Nast Traveller.

Who owns Faroe Islands?

the Kingdom of Denmark
The Faroe Islands are a self-governing nation under the external sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Is killing dolphins illegal?

Harassing, harming, killing or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972. The Act protects all species of dolphins, as well as other marine mammals such as whales and seals. WDC does not take these crimes lightly.

Which countries still hunt whales today?

Japan and Iceland are the only two countries that currently use this provision. Japan has been engaged in scientific whaling since 1987, a year after the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling began. Iceland recently began “scientific whaling” in 2003 before resuming their commerical hunt in 2006.

How many whales are killed in Denmark each year?

800 whales are killed every year to provide meat and blubber to the people of the Faroe Islands in Denmark; this is part of their natural diet. Every whale slaughtered provides communities with several hundred kilos of meat which otherwise would have to be imported.

How many whales were killed in the Faroe Islands?

On 29 May, 145 pilot whales and seven white-sided dolphins were killed in Torshavn bay, Faroe Islands in Denmark. The waters that surround the islands turned a deep red, filled with the blood of the innocent creatures.

How do they kill whales in the ocean?

When whales venture close to the bay, boats surround the whales and herd them back towards the land to be killed. When the animals approach the boat, a hook is inserted into their blow-hole which makes it easier for them to be hauled further up the shore.