Pods of pilot whales and several Atlantic white-sided dolphins driven into shallow coastal waters and killed on shore
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More than 125 pilot whales and several Atlantic white-sided dolphins were killed earlier this week in the Faroe Island’s first grindadráp (grind) of 2026, around 200 miles north of Scotland.
Marine conservation organisation, Sea Shepherd, documented the hunt near the village of Sándavágur on Vágar island. There, pods were driven into shallow coastal waters before being killed on the shore.
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The official toll does not include at least 15 foetuses and small juveniles reportedly removed from the kill site because they were considered inedible. Concerns have also been raised that not all dolphins killed during the hunt were included in official accounts.
Observers present at the hunt reported difficulties documenting events, including being prevented from filming in public areas and being moved on while attempting to record the killings.
The hunt comes amid growing international opposition, including an Early Day Motion (EDM) tabled in the UK Parliament supported by 72 MPs across six parties condemning the grindadráp and calling for the issue to be addressed in future trade discussions. The Faroe Islands’ trade arrangements are scheduled for review at the end of 2026, with campaigners calling for scrutiny of ongoing whaling practices.
Animal welfare groups have argued that killing entire family pods, including juveniles and unborn animals, raises questions about transparency, sustainability claims, and the classification of official statistics.
‘Every pod killed in a grind contains pregnant females and young juveniles. In almost any other hunting community, these animals would be protected. Pregnant females, unborn young, newborns, and small juveniles would not be considered legitimate targets. But in the Faroese grind, they are driven and killed indiscriminately,’ said campaign director at Sea Shepherd, Valentina Crast.
What is the grind?
The grind describes a practice in which pilot whales and dolphins are driven into bays by boats, before being killed on beaches in the Faroese Islands. On average, hundreds of cetaceans are taken each year across multiple hunts, with no fixed quota on the number of animals that can be killed.
The tradition of killing pilot whales, and sometimes other dolphins, dates back to 800CE. Until recently, pilot whale meat was an important source of food for the Faroese, but now there is no longer a need for whale meat to meet nutritional needs, as the Faroese have established export markets.
83 per cent of Faroese people are in favour of the grind. Centuries of Faroese people eating pilot whales mean many view pilot whales the same as cows, sheep, pigs and chickens – as ‘food animals’.
More than 20,000 dolphins and small whales have been killed in the last 20 years. And based on statistics since 2010, an average of around 900 pilot whales and other dolphins are killed in the grind each year.
