Orcas have struck again, this time ramming a sailboat off the northwest coast of Spain, rescuers said Tuesday.
A pod of killer whales damaged the rudder of a sailboat and left its two-person crew stranded in the waters off Cape Finisterre on Sunday, according to an emailed statement from rescue workers. It is the latest in a series of attacks by groups of orcas swimming around the Iberian Peninsula.
Although the sailboat, the Amidala, did not sink, groups of killer whales have sunk several vessels in recent years. Researchers don’t yet know whether the attacks are playful or malicious, but a new theory based on studying problematic orca pods suggests they may be using the ships as practice targets for new hunting techniques. There are other competing theories.
Whatever the orcas’ intentions, their behavior is enough to worry sailors who navigate the heavily traveled waters of Spain, Portugal and North Africa.
The Amidala, crewed by two Belgians, encountered an unknown number of orcas on Sunday afternoon. They sent a distress call to the Finisterre Maritime Rescue Centre, which towed the boat to shore, the centre said.
The damaged rudder and bad weather conditions in the area made the rescue more difficult, with waves up to 3 meters high and winds of 64 kilometers per hour. One of the Amidala’s crew members suffered injuries to her hand while the sailboat was being towed and was taken to a rescue boat, the rescue center said. After more than four hours, the Amidala was able to return to land.
In recent years, sailors have shared tips on how to stop orca attacks, or at least deter them. For example, painting the hull a different color is recommended as a deterrent. Another tactic is playing music. heavy metal or spreading sand in the ocean. There is also an app that tracks the activity of orcas in the ocean and allows ships to stay away from pods.
Researchers don’t have a definitive explanation for why orcas, apparently only in this region, are increasingly ramming boats. One theory suggests the ramming is due to past traumatic encounters between orcas and boats. Some scientists think it may be simpler: As naturally curious and playful mammals, orcas may just be having fun.
The other new theory comes from Spain’s Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, which has been tracking orca attacks on ships since 2020. It found that pods of killer whales off the coast of Spain, which migrate in the waters between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, have developed a taste for Atlantic bluefin tuna, according to a paper the institute will publish next month.
The tuna species can reach lengths of up to 10 feet (3 meters) and move at speeds that orcas can’t always match, at least without practice, said Bruno Diaz Lopez, the institute’s chief biologist. Sailboats are typically the ideal size for practicing: They move quickly and quietly, and close to the surface of the water, similar to orcas’ prey.
Researchers studying ramming incidents have found that it is mostly young orcas that chase sailboats, but sometimes adults appear to teach younger members of the pod how to do so. The orcas have also found that the rudder is soft enough to bite and that fiberglass is good for ramming, Diaz Lopez said.
CONTENT FOR SUBSCRIBERS
“It’s like a training toy,” Díaz López said. “It’s a shame that humans are in the middle of this game, but they are learning.”
#ship #attacked #angry #orcas #experts #reveal #reason
