Horrific footage shows the seas turn red with blood after more than 200 dolphins were slaughtered by locals in the Faroe Islands as part of an ancient Norse tradition. Graphic video shows the highly-intelligent animals writhing and squirming in blood as fisherman plunge metal hooks into their blow holes before severing their spines. The hunt, known locally as Grindadrap, is a tradition dating back to the 13th Century which sees local fishermen slaughter Atlantic white-side dolphins — as seen here — and long-finned pilot whales after driving the mammals towards shallow waters by closing in on them using a large semicircle of boats. Conservation group Sea Shepherd UK, which captured the stomach-churning video and images, says that according to Faroese reports 210 Atlantic white-side dolphins were killed in the most recent hunt — the 11th of the year — which took place on the coast of Hvalvik on September 11. Gory images depict the ocean as a bloodbath with scores of dolphins lying dead on the shoreline with gaping wounds across their heads. Weeks previously 180 whales were killed on the island as part of the same ritual. According to Sea Shepherd UK, which captured the footage as part of its 'Operation Bloody Fjords' campaign, the Faroese have killed more than 62,000 pilot whales and dolphins over the past 50 years. It also claims that in 2017 alone, a total 1,691 dolphins and whales were killed in 24 grindadráp hunts in the Faroe Islands and the running total for 2018 is 561 pilot whales and 255 Atlantic white-sided dolphins. Animal activist group PETA says the sea animals endure great suffering and pain: 'Metal hooks are driven into the stranded mammals' blowholes before their spines are cut. 'The animals slowly bleed to death. Whole families are slaughtered, and some whales swim around in their family members' blood for hours. 'Whales and dolphins are highly intelligent creatures and feel pain and fear every bit as much as we do.' But authorities
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