Killer whales systematically attacking boats off Spanish coast

Killer whales, also known as orcas, have been discovered routinely attacking boasts off the Iberian coast, targeting the rudder for maximum damage. 

The attacks have been reported to be very specific and targeted, with the killer whales not displaying any of their typically playful nature and seemingly having devised a way of ensuring boats are incapacitated.

The news of these attacks has been reported around the world, with one of the biggest podcasters out there, Joe Rogan, talking about the attacks in this clip on YouTube. 

The attacks were first witnessed back in 2020 around Cadiz and in other locations along the Strait of Gibraltar, where the whales are known to feed on blue-fin tuna.

Marietta shared a theory of why this might be happening on Twitter saying: “One theory of why Orcas are attacking boats is that during the pandemic, the Orcas liked having the waters to themselves and the Ocean was quiet again. When humans returned, they didn’t want to go back to the way it was. That theory feels right to me.”

One theory of why Orcas are attacking boats is that during the pandemic, the Orcas liked having the waters to themselves and the Ocean was quiet again.
When humans returned, they didn't want to go back to the way it was.
That theory feels right to me. #Orca #Attack #ILoveOrcas pic.twitter.com/agqcFYEkq0

— ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) June 10, 2023

This theory seems even more plausible if the orcas are seeing the return of the boats as competition for their favourite meal. An extension to this theory is that one killer whale worked out how to attack boats and taught others how to do the same, which would highlight the intelligence of these majestic creatures.

Oerston Soells shows on Twitter that the attacks are far from frenzied saying: “When the headlines scream ‘Orcas attack boats’ you assume it’s a random frenzy. Oh no. This is forensic…”

https://twitter.com/absolutemughere/status/1667768550407151617?s=20

These huge creatures, which can be as long as nine metres and weigh up to six tonnes, move in family groups known as pods. They are not known to be directly aggressive towards humans, but it seems they have taken a disliking to their boats.

Biologist Alfredo López Fernandez from the University of Aviero in Portugal said to Live Science: