- Since 2020, killer whales have attacked ships near the Iberian Peninsula.
- While the encounter certainly feels like an attack on the boaters, experts say that may not be accurate.
- Calling it an “attack” may be misleading, as killer whales are probably just playing.
“Whale Attack!” It certainly makes a great headline, but it may not be very accurate when used to describe the recent encounters between killer whales and boats near the Iberian Peninsula.
Since 2020, hundreds of such encounters have been recorded off the southern coasts of Spain and Portugal. researcher Killer whales typically follow a similar pattern. The killer whales approach the boat from behind and hit the rudder repeatedly, sometimes breaking the rudder and rendering the boat immobile. Most encounters end with minimal damage, and no one is injured in these clashes.
However, in at least three cases, killer whales have succeeded in sinking sailing ships, leading to talk of a “killer whale rebellion” in which killer whales eventually fight back.
“Without a doubt, the people on these little boats feel attacked,” Andrew Traits, director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia in Canada, previously told Insider. Still, he thinks the “attack” is unlikely to be an accurate representation of what’s going on.
Despite theories that the “traumatized” killer whales are seeking revenge on the ship, Trites and other experts said they believed they were likely just playing. . They seem to find and imitate the play behavior of other killer whales, suggesting that it is either positively reinforced or derives pleasure or some benefit from it.
Trites also said that viewing the encounter as an “attack” could be misleading for killer whales, similar to the fear of great white sharks inspired by a Hollywood movie that changed many people’s perceptions of the ocean forever. He said he was worried about sexuality.
Not only the captain of the ship whose ship was targeted by killer whales, but also other experts are concerned that the framework of the “attack” may lead to the feared sailors taking issue with their own hands and starting to shoot whales. It promotes another potentially misleading aspect of the explanation. These interactions are “attacks”. Whales are probably more likely than humans to be injured or killed in such encounters.
Therefore, instead of using the word “attack” to imply an aggressive and violent act, we simply refer to the literal action the killer whale is performing, such as attacking, ramming, targeting, or hitting a boat. It may be more accurate to describe