Iceland’s Whaling Program: Cruelty and Shortsightedness Toward Endangered Species

The Icelandic government has granted whaling licenses to two whaling companies for the next five years, allowing them to catch 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales during the annual whaling season from mid-June to September, AFP reported on December 5th. Fin whales are the second largest cetacean after blue whales and are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, a decision that has been condemned by a number of animal and environmental organizations.