Straight of Gibraltar orca have sunk another boat – but are they seeking revenge, or just having fun?
||| FROM DIVE MAGAZINE |||
Orcas have sunk a fourth boat in the Mediterranean Sea after the sailing yacht Grazie Mamma, owned by Polish company Morskie Mile, was targeted off the coast of Morocco in what has been described as a ‘relentless’ 45-minute long attack during the afternoon of 31 October.
Orcas – also known as killer whales (Orcinus orca) have now damaged more than 250 boats in the area since the spate of attacks began in 2020. A total of four boats have been sunk in the last two years.
Similar to other incidents earlier in the year, the orcas appeared to deliberately target the yacht’s rudder. In doing so, they damaged the hull to such an extent that the vessel began to take on water. Despite being rescued by the Moroccan Navy, the boat sank as it was being towed into the Moroccan port of Tanger-Med.
Maybe White Gladis could do a Zoom class for the Southern Residents? Snap the rudders off every boat anchored out at Sucia; that’ll get a little attention!
Well, whatever the reason, I’m for the whales. Whatever it takes to get humanity to listen and do what we can do about their plight and that of all cetaceans, I’m for it.
Interesting, in reading the highlighted article “Study explains why Orcas are attacking boats in the Strait of Gibraltar,” it provides excerpts from a study published in June 2022 in the journal Marine Mammal Science in relation to this phenomena.
Of interest is that the study in its conclusion states, “After analysing over 47 testimonies, 110 pictures, and 69 videos, the study theorises some motivations that the orcas had to interact with vessels: a ‘punctual aversive incident’ such as collision with a vessel; the natural curiosity of the animals; or pressures already identified for killer whales such as prey depletion, boat disturbance and interaction with fisheries.”
Some of these theories are not far off from the famous novel Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, the story of a British whaler that was “stoved by a great white whale” that was defending his pod. As we all know, whales and orcas are intelligent creatures. If you were a whale and the activities of boaters in your territorial waters were threatening the survival of yourself and your family… what would you do?