In recent weeks, headlines about the slaughter of dolphins by the Japanese have surfaced again. This slaughter was made famous, or rather infamous, by the movie The Cove, which I have reviewed here. The Japanese have routinely and systematically slaughtered dolphins and whales, treating them as meat animals. In their defense, they point to the American slaughter of chickens, cattle and pigs by the millions. On the surface, this looks like a valid argument, painting us as hypocrites.
I just happen to believe that cetaceans are sentient and therefore not a subservient species to man, but an equal that we should treat as such. My standards for dolphins are different from those for cattle. I know not everyone will agree with me on that.
The picture above, however, is not from Japan, but from the Faroe Islands, a part of Denmark. And yes, the red in the water is blood from the slaughter of pilot whales by the villagers for meat and sport.
Warning – Pictures of Shocking Animal Abuse and Slaughter
This picture, with others linked to here, has been called an email hoax.
However, I have found corroboration by Hoax-Slayer, a site dedicated to debunking email hoaxes, and they have confirmed that the story is true. This has been going on for centuries and it’s part of their culture. The males do the killing, while the females look on.
The whales are herded into bays by boats and even jet skis, where they are dragged onto the beach by hooks into the blow holes. Then the men cut their spinal chords. Earth First gives much more gruesome details in this online article.
Someone from Sweden commented on this post and pointed out that the Faroe Islands were self-ruling since 1948, all laws are local under the Faroe Home Rule Act. Denmark has sovereignty on some things regarding the Faroe Islands, but not local laws, which are made 100% by the Faroese themselves. He points out that it’s for meat, and not sport.
The Faroe Islanders kill pilot whales for meat, and ritual, as it seems to me. It’s not just the Japanese.
And where are the Faroe Islands?
