Killer whales in Strait of Gibraltar (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

There have been new media stories recently of Killer Whales attacking small boats near Gibraltar, southern Spain and Portugal. These stories are following up on last year's stories.

So what's the likelihood of this happening if you're out on a whale-watching trip? How often is it happening and what size of boats are they attacking? Or is it a made-up story?

 

[Farnboro John]

There have been new media stories recently of Killer Whales attacking small boats near Gibraltar, southern Spain and Portugal. These stories are following up on last year's stories.

So what's the likelihood of this happening if you're out on a whale-watching trip? How often is it happening and what size of boats are they attacking? Or is it a made-up story?

It's not a made-up story and the latest I've seen on it suggests it is being led by a particular old female Orca that seems to have a grudge, perhaps due to trauma with nets or collision years before. The trouble is younger Orcas are copying! The victims seem to be yachts mostly but maybe fishing boats as well?

I don't know about the chances on a whale-watching trip. Are you concerned about safety or looking forward to an amazing experience?

John

 

[JTweedie]

I was thinking of booking a trip to Gibraltar next year to watch migration from the rock and one of the days is out on a boat. I love going out whale-watching but wondering if this'll be a closer encounter than is comfortable!

 

[Mono]

Why are killer whales attacking boats? Expert Q&A

Orcas appear to be imitating the behaviour of one in particular by damaging sailboat rudders.

theconversation.com

 

[Ernest Garcia]

I was thinking of booking a trip to Gibraltar next year to watch migration from the rock and one of the days is out on a boat. I love going out whale-watching but wondering if this'll be a closer encounter than is comfortable!

I understand that the Orcas take objection to sailing yachts not the launches and catamarans used by whale watchers. The orcas quite seldom come near Gibraltar itself but instead haunt the tarifa area, where the tuna nets are.

 

[JTweedie]

Killer whales now also attacking boats around Shetland.

Orca rams into yacht off Shetland in first such incident in northern waters

Cetacean exhibits same behaviour towards vessel in North Sea that has been seen in Iberian orca population

www.theguardian.com

 

[JTweedie]

15 metre long yacht sunk near Morocco after being struck by Orca. The sailors were rescued by a passing tanker.

Yacht sinks after latest incident involving orcas in strait of Gibraltar

Vessel measuring 15 metres in length sank after encounter with the animals, Spain’s maritime rescue service reports

www.theguardian.com

 

[ArchStanton]

I was thinking of booking a trip to Gibraltar next year to watch migration from the rock and one of the days is out on a boat. I love going out whale-watching but wondering if this'll be a closer encounter than is comfortable!

I was in Gibraltar over 25 years ago but wasn’t birding back then. However, we got up close to the Barbary Macaques. RTVE from Spain reported Killer Whales attacking fishing boats. When we were in Seward, Alaska, we went out fishing on 25 foot StarCraft boats and saw Killer Whales about 1,000 yards from the boat. Fortunately, they weren’t aggressive back then as recently reported.

Restringida la navegación a veleros por incidentes con las orcas en aguas del Estrecho

En los últimos meses están aumentando los incidentes de veleros con orcas en la costa de Cádiz.

www.rtve.es

 

[Farnboro John]

It's many years since the publication of Survive the Savage Sea written by and about a family whose round-the-world yacht voyage was abbreviated by an attack by a pod of Orcas that rammed and sank the yacht in the Pacific Ocean. The family conducted their initial drills excellently and survived the subsequent epic drift in their dinghy and life-raft until rescued by a passing cargo ship.

There is nothing new under the sun.

Plus, I'm willing to bet that over the years humans have killed a lot more Orcas than the other way around. It's past time humans got used to not being apex all the time everywhere - and to not over-react to animals just doing their thing.

John

 

[BriLee]

15 metre long yacht sunk near Morocco after being struck by Orca. The sailors were rescued by a passing tanker.

Yacht sinks after latest incident involving orcas in strait of Gibraltar

Vessel measuring 15 metres in length sank after encounter with the animals, Spain’s maritime rescue service reports

www.theguardian.com

I heard about this incident ,I along with a few other Birders, were on the coast at Punta Camorro near Tarifa,we saw a Yacht being towed back into Tarifa Port ,I said I haven't heard of any recent incidents with Orca then this incident came to light,the following Sunday I believe !!