2023-07-04 06:00:03
Orcas are known for their intelligence and gregarious behavior. But recently, these animals have shown disturbing behavior by attacking boats off the Iberian coast. This behavior, initially isolated, seems to spread to the entire population, with potentially dramatic consequences for the safety of sailors and the preservation of this endangered subspecies.
Image d’illustration Pixabay
Three killer whales attacked a yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar on May 4. The attack was directed against the rudder (The rudder is a moving part of a boat, or an airplane.), a strategy (The strategy – from the Greek stratos which means “army” and ageĂ®n which means… ) that researchers have noticed in several other attacks. Biologist (On other Wikimedia projects:) Alfredo LĂłpez Fernandez, of the University (A university is an institution of higher education whose objective is the…) of Aveiro in Portugal, observed that this behavior of The attack spreads among the orcs, which they learn to reproduce.
Researchers suggest that a traumatic event in a female killer whale (In biology, female (from the Latin “femella”, small woman, young woman) named White Gladis could be the cause of this increased aggression towards the boats. Injured by a collision (A collision is a direct impact between two objects. Such an impact transmits part of…) or trapped while illegally fishing, she could have triggered this behavior in other orcas.
However, LĂłpez Fernandez points out that this behavior remains rare. Among more than 500 interactions recorded since 2020, “only” three boats have sunk. He also adds that the majority of interactions are harmless.
Deborah Giles, a researcher from the University of Washington, suggests that these behaviors could simply be games. She points out that orcas are curious and playful creatures. However, the rise of such interactions raises concerns for the safety of sailors and for the conservation of the population of Iberian killer whales, already classified as critically endangered.
Researchers hope to better understand this phenomenon to be able to put in place effective protective measures for sailors and killer whales. But for now, caution remains in order for those navigating these waters.
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