Killer whales attacked nearly 700 boats because they are bored teenagers

The greatest fear of sailors crossing the seven seas climate change is not, rising sea level or Attacks by pirates with wooden legsIt is be sunk by a pod of killer whales patrol the waters around Portugal. Now researchers have discovered why the group of 37 orcas have attacked everything from yachts to fishing boats, and that may just be because they’re bored.

Orca attacks in the Strait of Gibraltar began in 2020 when the animals began ramming and biting ships passing through the area. Since then, they have been observed chasing fishermen back to port and even just last month a private yacht was sunk. The behavior does not seem to be aimed at getting food or even defending their territory, it sounds like it is simply because they are anxious teenagers, According to a report by WashingtonPost.

According to a group of multinational orca experts, this behavior is not a case of The orcas want to attack boatsbut rather is a vehicle for bored orca teenagers looking for a way to entertain themselves. As the website explains:

Since 2020, members of a small group of killer whales have rammed into at least 673 ships off the coasts of Portugal, Spain and Morocco – some of which sank. The Spanish and Portuguese governments responded by commissioning a group of experts to find out why the whales slam into the rudders used to steer ships and how to prevent it.

The group, which includes biologists, government officials and representatives of the shipping industry, released a report on Friday outlining their hypothesis: The orcas just want to have fun, and in the vast – and fairly empty – open waters, the boats’ oars are an important toy for them.

“This looks like a game,” said Naomi Rose, a senior scientist at the Animal Welfare Institute who was part of the working group. “They are obviously playing a very dangerous game. But it is a game.”

Now those same experts are proposing several ways that sailors can stay safe and avoid the attention of orcas when crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. Not surprisingly, Tips do not include body slamming of the animals if they come too close.

Instead, USA today say sailors in Orca Alley resort to novel additions to their rudders to make them less attractive to the animals, adapt their sailing plans to the hunting habits of the animals and are prepared to run away when the killer whales start to swarmThe website explains:

Workshop participants recommend that sailors avoid areas where Iberian killer whales are likely to hunt their preferred prey – bluefin tuna – from May to August. They should also keep their boats closer to shore in shallow areas and stay at least one mile away from orcas interacting with their boats. If possible, they should head toward shore to more quickly carry out a rescue if necessary.

Boaters are already following experts’ suggestions in areas where killer whales interact with their boats, and the results are encouraging.

It is nice to hear that innocent fishermen are not at the mercy of the vicious killer whales no longerit would be a shame if this would put an end to the stories of millionaire yachts being sunk by orcas. Nevertheless, it was fun while it lasted.