The tradition of whale-slaughtering is an annual event that takes place in the Faroe Islands where the blue sea turns into a horrifying red colour as dead bodies of whales and dolphins fill it up. 

Apparently, this tradition goes back to the year 1584 and the people of the Faroe Islands have been consuming whale meat since the times of the Vikings. Communities depend on the hundreds of kilos of meat each whale provides, which is also a major part of their natural diet. 

It is a communal activity where all the locals get together to ruthlessly slaughter at least 800 whales and dolphins. 

Páll Nolsøe, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said,

Whaling is a natural part of Faroese life. It has long since been internationally recognised that pilot whale catches in the Faroe Islands are fully sustainable.

How are the whales killed? The fishermen enter the water in boats and as soon as pods of whales arrive close to the bay, they surround the whales and lead them towards land to be beached and slaughtered. When the whale is close enough, a hook is inserted into their blowhole to bring them further up the shore. It’s neck is then stabbed with a spinal lance and its spinal cord is severed, which further cuts the blood supply to its brain. The whale loses consciousness and dies within a few seconds. 

An entire pod of whales is killed in less than 10 minutes. The entire community pitches in the slaughtering while it takes place in place sight.

Reportedly, each whale is recorded and regulated by authorities and the Danish people claim that this practice is not cruel and is carried out in regard to international laws. 

There have been petitions to ban the practice of whaling but in vain. Animal activists have been fighting this cause for a long time. 

People on the internet have also expressed their outrage over this.

Traditions need to break in the name of humanity.