Mountains, canyons, plains — these geological features are not only present on land, but also under the sea, where scientists have now charted them in incredible detail in the ocean surrounding Antarctica. The five-year project mapped 18.5 million square miles, and even revealed a new deepest point in the Southern Ocean, a depression lying 7,432 meters (24,383 feet) below sea level called the Factorian Deep. This study and others like it around the world are filling major scientific gaps in our understanding of what the ocean floor looks like, a key part of knowing how to foster ocean health. More mapping also enables us to make an even stronger science-backed case for marine protected areas. If you want to turn this positive progress into action, you can join us today as we call on world leaders to protect Antarctica and secure the largest act of ocean protection in history. We’re close to reaching our goal of 250,000 petition signatures!
Update: On May 4, 2024, the first brutal slaughter of the year took place in the Faroe Islands, turning the harbor of the town of Klaksvik red with the blood of 40 pilot whales. Without action, this horrific, unethical practice will continue to kill thousands, with more gruesome hunts planned throughout the year. Only One stands with the #DontVisitFaroe movement — urging travelers to reconsider their trips to the Faroe Islands until the cruel Grindadráp hunt is stopped. Learn more and join the campaign by following @DontVisitFaroeIslands on social media and sharing content from the Campaign Toolkit.
The Faroe Islands are known for their annual pilot whale hunt, a tradition called the Grindadráp or sometimes referred to as the Grind. The activity has been called into question by locals and health experts after decades of research have revealed the health consequences of consuming dolphin and pilot whale meat. Levels of carcinogens and toxins such as methylmercury and PCB have been rising within marine animals over the decades as a result of industrial pollution, leading to a number of health consequences including neurological and developmental damage.
Over 850 pilot whales were hunted last year alone, and since the turn of the century, more than 20,000 cetaceans — pilot whales, white-sided dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins — have been massacred off the Faroese shore.
Hunts are often prolonged and terror-inducing ordeals for these intelligent, social animals, where entire pods, including calves, are mercilessly butchered in the name of tradition.
This campaign began in 2021, when an entire super pod of at least 1,428 white-sided dolphins was killed in a record hunt that even seasoned whalers have deemed unethical. The massive pod, as in all hunts, was driven onto the beach by a coordinated fleet of boats and jet skis to be killed one by one. Panicked dolphins, including pregnant females and calves, were traumatized over the course of several hours, in a hunt that reportedly spanned more than 45 kilometers.
