Whalers harpoon first blue whale in more than 50 years

Whalers harpoon first blue whale in more than 50 years

Crew members then took turns posing for photo straddling its back, having needed run-ups to clamber on top of the world's biggest animal, video from the scene showed. Blue whales were almost hunted to extinction last century and there are only 10,000 to 25,000 left alive. One has not been slaughtered for more than 50 years. Sea Shepard said it was the 22nd whale killed by Loftsson's outfit in the past three weeks, the other being endangered fin whales.

'Loftsson ordered his crew to butcher the whale just like it was another Fin whale,' the anti-whaling group claimed. 'The meat, skin, blubber and bone all now mixed in with the fin whales previously caught, which will make it difficult or impossible to locate during potential inspections by the authorities.'

Icelandic whalers appear to have killed an endangered blue whale before chopping it up to be eaten as a delicacy in Japan. Photos of the massive mammal, which can grow to 33 metres long, were posted online by conservation groups claiming it was slain by Kristján Loftsson's whaling company. The huge carcass was seen being hauled into port by the Hvalur 8 ship while tied to the side of the vessel before being dragged on to the dock on Saturday evening.