14 DAY TRIAL // I'm afraid it's bad news from Norway. Thus, official figures say that, since late August until now, hunters in this part of the world have killed a total of 729 northern minke whales.
Granted, the marine mammals were butchered during this year's whaling season, which the International Whaling Commission has not yet made illegal, so Norway did not break any laws.
Still, this does not change the fact that killing defenseless whales is an ugly business, and that Norway, together with Iceland and Japan, would do well to put this practice behind it.
To make matters even worse, Mongabay tells us that the whaling season in this part of the world is not yet over, and that Norway's quota for this year is one of 1,286 whales.
This means that several more marine mammals belonging to said species stand to be murdered in the days to come, the same source explains.
In case anyone was wondering, the meat taken from these animals is to be sold to restaurants and supermarkets. It will eventually be used to make various dishes and eaten.
Specialists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimate that, all in all, our planet's seas and oceans are home to about 180,000 northern minke whales. Hence, the species is considered to be one of least concern.