Whale Wars Spinoff Takes Shape

They say there is no such thing as bad press, but for the Japanese whaling industry the attention garnered by the media through the success of Animal Planet’s “Whale Wars” has been anything but productive. On the heels of the awareness raised by Whale Wars, Animal Planet has moved its gaze to a new target- Pilot Whales.

The latest cooperative project between Animal Planet and the Sea Shepard organization has been tentatively titled “The Faroe Islands Project,” and will focus on the ancient Norse tradition of hunting Pilot whales. The annual hunt, also known as “the grind,” kills more than 1,000 pilot whales by forcing them into the shallows for slaughter.

“For the last four years, Whale Wars has been riveting television because of the passion of the Sea Shepherds, the risks they take to save the lives of whales, and the magnificent and dangerous beauty of the Southern Ocean,” says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. “Now they are once again preparing to put their lives on the line, this time in a lush and unfamiliar corner of northern Europe where the customs are different and the killing of whales continues. And we plan be there to document every moment.”

Filming is expected to begin later this month.