138 pilot whales were slaughtered by villagers during a "grindadrap" in the Faroe Islands.

In the traditional "grindadrap" hunt held every year in the Faroe Islands, at least 138 pilot whales were driven into the harbor and killed by villagers. In this bloody Viking tradition, the whales are surrounded by hunters and driven into a shallow bay where they are mercilessly slaughtered with knives.

BLOODSHED AGAIN IN THE VIKING TRADITION!

This year's hunt turned the sea red with the blood of the whales. The Viking tradition continues to be strongly condemned by animal rights activists. This year's hunt was particularly shocking due to the prolonged suffering of the whales.

A DEATH THAT LASTED 5.5 HOURS

A patrol ship belonging to the Faroe Islands spotted a pod of 50 to 100 long-finned pilot whales off the coast of Vi?. At 12:45, the decision was made to drive the whales ashore. Over the course of hours, the whales were slowly directed towards the shore. The killing of the whales was postponed to wait for the end of the rowing race in Klaksvik.

The whales were finally driven ashore and killed after a stressful ordeal lasting over five and a half hours. A spokesperson for the foundation stated that the whales struggled on the beach for more than 25 minutes and the remaining live animals were held by boats for another 90 minutes. Eventually, a decision was made to release the whales back into the sea.

DEATH TOLL REACHES 138

According to initial counts, at least 40 long-finned pilot whales were killed in the first group. Animal rights activists argue that this process cannot be done humanely. As of Sunday evening, the death toll was announced as 138.

Rob Read from the Paul Watson Foundation said that the Faroese people hunt the pilot whales by exploiting their strong family bonds. He stated that today's hunt will have a significant impact on this family group and more animals may be injured or die due to stress.

VOLUNTEERS WANT TO END DOLPHIN HUNTING

Animal rights activists are fighting to prevent the local population from killing the pilot whales, which have become a Viking tradition every year. Although long-finned pilot whales are actually known as dolphin species, they continue to be slaughtered. Pilot whales, known for their tight family groups led by an elderly female, usually reproduce and mate between April and September, and give birth to a single calf every three to six years.

The Faroe Islands, located between Norway and Iceland, are known as an autonomous archipelago belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark. Volunteers campaign every year to end this tradition in which hundreds of whales are killed. However, the residents of the Faroe Islands argue that this hunt is part of their traditions and provides free food for their community. However, campaign groups claim that this hunt is no longer just about feeding the islanders, but that excess meat and fish oil are being sold.