A concerning and unnerving trend has emerged among killer whales, with young orcas learning to ram boats from their elders in what appears to be a distressing “game,” according to scientists. This behavior has led to boats suffering damage and rudders being left in pieces.
The phenomenon, initially witnessed in 2020, has been spreading among orcas, with at least 20 Iberian killer whales now engaging in this behavior. The activity involves the orcas ramming boats from beneath, causing significant damage. While the incidents are causing alarm among sailors, marine conservation experts clarify that it’s not an act of revenge against boats or a response to climate change; rather, it seems to be a learned behavior that has taken the form of a “game” among the orcas.
Marine conservation expert Dr. Renaud de Stephanis emphasized that the behavior is akin to a game, stating, “It’s only a game. It isn’t revenge [against boats], it isn’t climate change, it’s just a game and that’s it.”
To better understand and manage this phenomenon, researchers have attached satellite tracking tags to some of the orcas. This information is then used by the Spanish government to provide sailors with guidance on how to avoid encounters with these animals. The coastal areas of Portugal and Spain, as well as the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, have become hotspots for these marine mammals, particularly during their tuna hunts.
Dr. Renaud explained that the orcas appear to be playing with the foam inside the rudders, pushing it around with their noses as if it were a toy. He also observed instances where adult orcas demonstrated the behavior, followed by calves imitating the action, suggesting a form of transmission of knowledge within the group.
Dr. Luke Rendell from St Andrews University suggested that the increasing number of orca boat attacks indicates that sailors might find it difficult to avoid encounters with the creatures, despite the available data. He proposed that the only effective way to prevent these incidents and safeguard both sailors and the orcas is to avoid traveling through the areas where the orcas hunt for their prey.
In light of this unsettling behavior, marine researchers and authorities are working to better understand the motivations behind these actions and find solutions to mitigate the impact on both human activities and the killer whales themselves.
