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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Faroe Islands

Cold North Atlantic islands with pilot whales offshore. We do not go because the whale drive hunts are still legal.

Long-finned pilot whale
Long-finned pilot whale, found in the waters of the wider region · Photo: Vsevolod Rudyi, iNaturalist, cc-by
Story only

Story only, for now. We love learning about this place and its ocean, so we share its story here and do not sell trips yet. Checked by Ocean Calling on 30 Sep 2026. Sources: Activists fight to end Faroe Islands dolphin hunts, Inside Climate News, 18 Jul 2026; Dolphins killed on the Faroe Islands, OceanCare; Over 125 pilot whales killed in first grind of 2026, Oceanographic.

Why: Pilot whales and dolphins are driven onto the beach here in a legal hunt that still happens in 2026. Ocean Calling puts the animal first and will not sell encounters in a place that hunts the same species. This is story only and we do not go. We would look again only if the drive ends in law and in practice.

This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The UK FCDO covers the Faroe Islands within its Denmark travel advice, last updated on 11 August 2026 with information on the European Entry-Exit System. Sources: UK FCDO travel advice, Denmark (includes Faroe Islands) Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

WhalesDolphins

Why Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands are known for bird cliffs, hiking and music. Long-finned pilot whales and other dolphins live in the same waters where the community drive hunt, the grindadrap, still takes place. In 2026 hunts were reported on 4 May at Sandavagur and on 27 May, and campaign groups report about 700 animals killed that day. Ocean Calling does not sell whale or dolphin encounters next to a legal hunt, so this is story only and we do not go.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

CanadaRussiaNorwayGreenlandFranceSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsIrelandItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomIcelandSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaSerbiaTorshavn and Sandagerdi, Faroe Islands

When to go

Timing changes a lot from place to place. See each place below.

We share what we learned, and we do not offer trips here.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Story only

We tell the story. We do not sell a trip here.

This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year. Checked 30 Sep 2026.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Faroe Islands

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Torshavn and Sandagerdi

Story only

The capital, where a large drive was reported on 27 May 2026.

Animals

Animals recorded in Faroe Islands

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Two long-finned pilot whales surfacing side by sideLong-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala melasSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHarbour porpoise rolling at the surface off Berry Head, DevonHarbour porpoisePhocoena phocoenaSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernA male northern bottlenose whale lifting its head above the surface in the Gully, Nova Scotia, during a research expeditionNorthern bottlenose whaleHyperoodon ampullatusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedAtlantic white-sided dolphin leaping clear of the sea, showing its pale flank stripeAtlantic white-sided dolphinLagenorhynchus acutusSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAtlantic puffin spreading its wings on a cliff in IcelandAtlantic puffinFratercula arcticaSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasVulnerableEuropean storm-petrel resting on rock after being ringed and releasedEuropean storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusSeen in 1 country in the AtlasLeast ConcernHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo blacktip reef sharks swimming over sunlit sand in turquoise waterBlacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableOrcas surfacing close together in calm Arctic Norwegian watersOrca (killer whale)Orcinus orcaSeen in 55 countries in the AtlasData DeficientPelagic thresher shark with long whip tail at Kimud Shoal, MalapascuaPelagic thresherAlopias pelagicusSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasEndangeredScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredBlue whale blowing a tall spout off San DiegoBlue whaleBalaenoptera musculusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasEndangeredFin whale surfacing, showing its white right lower jawFin whaleBalaenoptera physalusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWall of grey reef sharks cruising in blue waterGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasEndangeredTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedMinke whale surfacing and exhaling, seen from aboveCommon minke whale (North Atlantic)Balaenoptera acutorostrataSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat hammerhead seen from above over rippled white sandGreat hammerheadSphyrna mokarranSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSei whale's tall dorsal fin breaking a calm sea surfaceSei whaleBalaenoptera borealisSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSilvertip shark swimming in open blue waterSilvertip sharkCarcharhinus albimarginatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDwarf minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrata (dwarf form)Seen in 30 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBull shark swimming in clear blue water off Quintana Roo, MexicoBull sharkCarcharhinus leucasSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSandbar shark with its tall dorsal fin over a sandy seabed in HawaiʻiSandbar sharkCarcharhinus plumbeusSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBasking shark swimming underwater in green water off Argyll, ScotlandBasking sharkCetorhinus maximusSeen in 23 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGrey seal resting on a seaweed rock in Northumberland, UKGrey sealHalichoerus grypusSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSmooth hammerhead swimming in clear blue open water off SpainSmooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaenaSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasVulnerableShortfin mako shark at Condor Bank in the North Atlantic, AzoresShortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBlue shark swimming in open blue water off the Azores with a diver in the backgroundBlue sharkPrionace glaucaSeen in 50 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedSpiny dogfish resting on the seabed at the Josephine Marie shipwreck, Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuarySpiny dogfishSqualus acanthiasSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSailfish swimming in open blue water, seen from below, with its long bill and tall dorsal finSailfishIstiophorus platypterusSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasVulnerableA single silvery herring angled through deep blue water off Skjervoy, northern NorwayAtlantic herringClupea harengusSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHuge flock of sooty shearwaters flying low over the sea beside a rocky coastSooty shearwaterArdenna griseaSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedClose view of a northern gannet face, with pale blue eyes and a golden headNorthern gannetMorus bassanusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLeach's storm-petrel in flight over water, wings spread, with a pale patch at the base of the tailLeach's storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasVulnerableManx shearwater banking just above the sea, white underparts and dark upperparts visibleManx shearwaterPuffinus puffinusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat shearwater flying low over calm water, its reflection belowGreat shearwaterArdenna gravisSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEuropean shag sitting on its nest of dry grass, dark green-tinged plumage and yellow gapeEuropean shagGulosus aristotelisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernNorthern fulmar sitting on a cliff ledge, facing the cameraNorthern fulmarFulmarus glacialisSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon thresher shark leaping clear of the water, its long upper tail lobe trailing belowCommon thresherAlopias vulpinusSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSpinner shark swimming just under the surface of calm water, seen from aboveSpinner sharkCarcharhinus brevipinnaSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBigeye thresherAlopias superciliosusSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDusky shark swimming just under the surface of blue waterDusky sharkCarcharhinus obscurusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPelagic stingray seen from above, swimming over the seabed in clear blue waterPelagic stingrayPteroplatytrygon violaceaSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSpottail sharkCarcharhinus sorrahSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasNear Threatened
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Europe and Mediterranean
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