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A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

Whaling ship Hvalur 8 arrives at the whaling station with two fin whales

Luke McMillan Luke is WDC’s Head of hunting and captivity. Now that the 2023 whaling season in Iceland has ended, it’s time to reflect on the whirlwind of events that unfolded for the fin whales in Icelandic waters. We have been at the forefront of efforts to end the slaughter, and this season was a rollercoaster…

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Icelandic whalers kill first fin whales in four years

Majestic fin whales

As feared, whale hunters in Iceland have killed at least two fin whales, the first to be killed in four years. Hopes remain that the cruel practice will end in 2023 after the country’s Fisheries Minister, Svandís Svavarsdóttir cast doubt over its future a few weeks ago, saying that there is now little justification for authorizing…

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Locals rescue pilot whales in Iceland

In Iceland, a country often tarnished by its fin and minke whale hunting industry, local people have been helping to rescue over 100 long-finned pilot whales that became trapped on the shoreline around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the west of the country. People in the area flocked to the scene in an attempt to push them…

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Iceland offers whale watch trips to refugees

Image: Special Tours Wildlife Adventures Syrian refugees coming into Iceland will be taken on whale watching trips as part of an integration programme adopted by the Icelandic Red Cross. The trips will enable Red Cross workers to build connections and trust with those entering Iceland many of whom will arrive having suffered both physical and…

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