A strange phenomenon that excites experts. They’re getting closer and attacking the boats, who are we talking about?
They attack the boats – Viaggi.nanopress.it
For several years, there has been a very special phenomenon that has prompted experts from all over the world to question the reasons for this. Something that allows for various hypotheses and concerns a species that has usually never raised all these concerns. Let’s find out together what it is and where this situation occurs.
They’re getting closer and closer to shore and attacking the boats, that’s what it’s all about
Imagine animals that are notoriously peaceful, at least towards humans, suddenly taking a U-turn and questioning the same experts about the reasons for this attitude.
It occurs mainly in the areas between Gibraltar and Portugal, so there is talk of an emergency in the water. Here the killer whales come closer and closer to the coast and even attack the boats.
How is it possible? This is unusual behavior and has been steadily increasing since 2020. Apparently there have been several incidents of swarms of orcas in these waters aiming directly at different types of boats and hitting them hard.
Sometimes there was damage to buildings, such as rudders or ship hulls. The strange thing, however, is that the killer whales don’t appear to be acting in this way to harm humans. On the contrary, they are not interested in a confrontation or a clash with humans. You are limited to targeting the vehicle and then disappearing.
They are getting closer – Viaggi.nanopress.it
Nevertheless, the repetition of these events, which at this point in time three years later can no longer be described as random, forced the authorities to intervene. In Portugal, for example, there is a real ban on tourist boats getting too close to the herds, precisely to avoid other unpleasant incidents. However, what is not yet clear is why and why more orcas are behaving this way.
The strange behavior of killer whales, say experts
By carefully studying the behavior of these animals, scientists are divided on the reasons that prompt them to behave in this way. There is even talk of revenge.
In what sense? In 2020, an orca earned the nickname White GladisHe got caught in a boat net and was injured. She would have been the first to attack the boat in defense and from that moment more and more specimens would have started imitating her. Revenge on those who hurt her?
In a 2021 report, experts describe it as precisely induced behavior, a type of preventative precaution orcas are taking after what happened at White Gladis.
Killer whales target boats – Viaggi.nanopress.it
This is because these animals are extremely intelligent and able to communicate with each other. Just as hunting techniques are transferrable, they have obviously “transmitted” each other, including this last defensive technique.
Another hypothesis, however, tends not to see killer whales as vengeful animals, how pretty playful. Adding to the doubt is the fact that the orcas never, ever during these attacks, attempted to harm the man. You have absolutely no interest. Therefore, according to some experts, this would indicate a game that the killer whales decided to play without understanding the actual damage they are causing to the boats.
Scientists comment
Indeed, some newspapers interviewed one of the leading experts on the subject Isabella Pratesicurrent Director of the Conservation Program of the WWF Italy.
According to the scientist, one cannot really talk about gambling, although she does not exaggerate the real reason for this phenomenon. Pratesi tends more to assimilate it with a kind of saturation and annoyance of the animals towards some boats. It has been noted that small boats are always the focus of attacks.
Perhaps because they are the ones most associated with fishing. Rather, they avoid approaching motor boats because they are apparently afraid of their propellers. Whatever the reason for this actual pattern, according to dr Pratesi it will be very interesting to understand how killer whales communicate with each other.
Word to the experts – Viaggi.nanopress.it
And this story might not end there. It’s important to study how killer whales pass on information, as experts believe these animals may soon be ‘training’ specimens found in the North Atlantic as well. In short, a dangerous but also very fascinating phenomenon that could help bring a new element to the culture of these animals.