Wildlife

Mass Slaughter of Dolphins - Solomon Islands

Around 900 dolphins were slaughtered by a group of disgruntled villagers in the Solomon Islands over a financial dispute between them and an environmental charity.

The Earth Island Institute had convinced villagers in 2011 to stop the regular slaughter in exchange for funding for sustainable fishing, alternative energy and water sanitation projects.

But apparent mismanagement of the funds angered some, who resumed the hunt and killed nearly a thousand of the marine mammals to be sold for their meat and teeth.

Some villagers accused the charity of simply not giving them the money.

Earth Island Institute claims a “renegade group” based in the capital of Honiara “grabbed funds that were supposed to go to the community.”

The dolphins were herded into bays or onto beaches by fishermen using stones to make noises in their boats that frightened and disoriented the animals.

Dolphins' teeth collected in the hunts have historically been used in jewelry and as a kind of currency.

The Solomon Islands have been a major supplier of live dolphins sold to aquariums in China and Dubai for up to $150,000 each.

Solomon Islanders holding dolphins killed during traditional mass slaughter.