Whales
Most read
Latest
-
Pilot Whales Stranded In Ólafsfjörður Successfully Returned To Sea
On June 21, over 60 pilot whales stranded on a beach in Ólafsfjörður, North Iceland, reports RÚV. An emergency response team was activated in Akureyri, and rescue teams were called out. The rescue operation in Ólafsfjörður concluded around 19:00. By then, the…
-
Orca Washed Ashore In Grafarvogur
An orca washed ashore near the golf course by Korpúlfsstaðir in Grafarvogur last night, reports RÚV. Davíð Friðjónsson, a shift supervisor with the Capital Area Fire Department, said the outgoing tide limited what rescue teams could do at the time. The whale…
-
First Fin Whale Of The Season Endured 35-Minute Death Struggle
The first fin whale hunted by Hvalur hf. after the whaling ban was lifted endured a prolonged 35-minute death struggle, reports Vísir. The 2023 whaling season was originally set to begin on June 21, but the then-Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries…
-
Minister Grants Permit To Allow Whaling To Resume
Minister of Food and Agriculture Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir has granted the whaling company Hvalur ehf. a licence for hunting fin whales. The minister announced her decision following a government meeting on June 11. The permit is active for one year, allowing 128…
-
Whaling Ban Ended With Concession
The moratorium on whaling, enacted by Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Svandís Svavarsdóttir on June 20, has been lifted. This decision follows a cabinet meeting taking place at Egilsstaðir today. In May, a report made by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary…
-
RVK Newscast 211: Swimming With Whales
Hello! It’s been a while (we’ve been printing a magazine), but welcome back to RVK Newscast. Valur and Pollý are at Grótta with a jam-packed episode of Icelandic news and views. Read on for more info and links! Minister for Culture and…
-
Tourism Industry Unhappy With News Of Fin Whale Hunt Renewal
Yesterday’s news that Hvalur hf., Iceland’s last fin whaling company, would resume the hunt this summer after a three-year hiatus has not been well met by the tourism industry, Vísir reports. [su_pullquote]It’s the one year birthday of our wonderful little Geldingadalir eruption…
-
Around The World In A Day: Experience Iceland’s Lava—From The Earth To The Sea
Iceland loves its circle tours: Golden Circle, Diamond Circle, Silver Circle, and of course circling the entire country. But one autumnal Saturday, we discovered a day trip which shaped up to be a great way to get to know plenty about Iceland’s…
-
83 Whale Beachings In Iceland This Year
There have been 83 whale beachings so far this year over 34 separate occasions, Morgunblaðið reports. [su_pullquote] Be in with the chance of winning a box of Icelandic candy—and a piece of Geldingadalsgos lava—by signing up for our newsletter here before 1500…
-
Persistent Substances Threaten The Health Of Orcas In Iceland
In a new study conducted by marine biologists from Iceland, Canada and Denmark, it has been found that orcas near Iceland are at risk of being poisoned by polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs). Nine times more persistent substances were found in Icelandic orcas that…
-
Beluga Whales Take First Swim In New Home
Two beluga whales who were brought to the new sea sanctuary in Klettsvík in August, have taken their first swim in their new home, reports RÚV. Since being rescued from captivity, the beluga whales, named Little Grey and Little White, spent the…
-
Iceland’s Last Fin Whaling Company May Be Coming To An End
Hvalur hf., the last Icelandic whaling company that still hunts fin whales, might soon be no more. A lengthy report in Fréttablaðið’s business section, Markaðurinn, discloses that three shareholders in the company are seeking to be bought out and this, Hvalur CEO…
-
Sperm Whale Carcass Washes Up On East Iceland Beach
The carcass of a large sperm whale washed up on Héraðssandur beach in East Iceland last week. The East Iceland Nature Agency suggests that the whale may have died as a result of a collision with a ship. The 15-metre long sperm…
-
Locals On Jet-Skis Drive 100 Pilot Whales Away From Snæfellsnes Shoreline
Over the weekend, nearly 100 pilot whales were spotted off the northwest coast of Snæfellsnes peninsula, close to Ólafsvík and Rif. Locals on jet-skis herded the whales away from the shore and into deeper waters. Rescue agencies were not alerted to the…
-
Photos: Mass Pilot Whale Death in Snæfellsnes, West Iceland
A mass stranding of over 50 pilot whales occurred last week in West Iceland’s Snæfellsnes peninsula. The event occurred on the sand island Gamlaeyri along Löngufjörur. The whales were spotted by David Schwarzhans, a pilot for Reykjavík Helicopters, and his guests during…
-
For The First Time In 17 Years: Iceland Will Not Hunt Any Whales This Summer
The lack of any real market for whale meat has prompted Iceland’s whalers to forego the hunt this season, for the first time since 2003. RÚV reports that this applies not only to endangered fin whales, but also to the far more…
-
Beluga Whales To Arrive In Iceland Soon
Little Grey and Little White, two beluga whales originally from Russian waters, will in all likelihood arrive in Iceland soon, RÚV reports. The whales reportedly departed from China in a specially-designed aircraft late last night, and are expected to touch down this…
-
No Fin Whaling In Iceland This Summer
Hvalur hf., the only company in Iceland that hunts fin whales, has announced that they will not be killing whales this summer, saying that their whaling license arrived too late for them to finish repairing their boats in time. “There will be…
-
World’s First Open Sea Beluga Whale Sanctuary To Open In Iceland
Two beluga whales are set to make a journey from China to Klettsvík bay, in Iceland’s Westman Islands this month. The archipelago will house the first open sea beluga whale sanctuary in the world, but some are wary about transporting these whales…
-
Ask A Marine Ecologist: What Is The Importance Of Whale Poop For The Ocean?
So much of Iceland’s history and a great deal of current controversy revolves around the largest animals on the planet—whales. But did you know that a pound of “whale poop” could be worth 7,000 USD? We asked Joe Roman, a visiting Fulbright…
-
Icelanders Against Whaling Release Open Letter To The Government
Numerous Icelandic orgs have sent off an open letter to Parliament, objecting categorically to the government response to whale hunting. Of special cause for concern is Minister of Fisheries Kristján Þór Júlíusson’s decision last February to green light whale hunting until 2023.…
-
Iceland’s Fishing Minister Green Lights Whale Hunting To 2023
Minister of Fisheries Kristján Þór Júlíusson has approved the hunting of fin whales and minke whales until 2023, but not without criticism. According to a statement from the Minister on the decision, he argues that “it is clear that the two species…
-
VIDEO: Iceland Soon To Have Two Beluga Whales In Captivity
Iceland will soon have two beluga whales, which will be kept in the same cove that was once home to Keiko of “Free Willy” fame. RÚV reports that the belugas will be flown to Iceland from China, and are due to arrive…