Aggressive Behavior Spreading Among Killer Whales, Rams Boat 2,000 Miles Away From Previous Attacks

In an unusual display of aggression, an orca persistently struck a yacht traversing a strait between Scotland and Norway last week, marking the latest in a string of unsettling encounters with these majestic marine creatures.

This unnerving episode follows several instances over recent months where orcas, also known as killer whales, have forcefully collided with boats in the Strait of Gibraltar, off the coasts of Spain and Portugal.

This particular attack occurred more than 2,000 miles away from the Strait, marking a disturbing expansion of this hostile behavior into northern waters.

In an account reported by The Guardian, Dr. Wim Rutten, a retired Dutch physicist, and seasoned seafarer, narrated his chilling experience while sailing alone from Lerwick to Bergen, Norway.

He said, “What I felt [was] most frightening was the very loud breathing of the animal.” The orca followed his boat, inspecting the keel before disappearing and returning at high speed to circle around. “Maybe he just wanted to play. Or look me in the eyes. Or to get rid of the fishing line,” speculated the 72-year-old.

In 2023 alone, killer whale pods in the Strait of Gibraltar have instigated more than 20 altercations in May.

A photographer observed a group of killer whales socializing off the coast of central California. Monterey Bay Whale Watch videographer Evan Brodsky says the orcas “socialized like kids at the playground for over 7 hours on the surface.” https://t.co/wW9BlO50LU pic.twitter.com/otnfT2w7S4

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) June 28, 2023

In a shocking incident last month, three orcas attacked and punctured the hull of the yacht Alboran Champagne, causing it to flood and eventually sink, leaving the crew with no choice but to abandon ship.

Do you think the whale's behavior will spread further?

This 8-mile-wide corridor, the Strait of Gibraltar, separating Europe from Africa, has seen over 500 interactions between orcas and boats in the last three years.

Killer whales, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, can weigh up to 11 tons and measure over 30 feet in length, reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

Certain reports suggest an orca known as White Gladis may be the instigator, teaching other killer whales to attack yachts.

Having already reportedly damaged three boats and sunk two, there is speculation that White Gladis is enacting vengeance for past trauma, potentially due to a collision with a boat or entanglement in illegal fishing nets.

Marine biologist Alfredo López Fernandez told Live Science that White Gladis endured a “critical moment of agony,” and this traumatized orca initiated the behavior of making physical contact with boats. He further explained, “We do not interpret that the orcas are teaching the young, although the behavior has spread to the young vertically, simply by imitation, and later horizontally among them, because they consider it something important in their lives.”

Contrarily, some suggest younger whales are merely mimicking White Gladis’ aggressive conduct.

Stephen Bidwell, a yacht owner victim of an orca attack, recounted to The Telegraph: “A clearly larger matriarch was definitely around and was almost supervising.”

Reliving his experience, Bidwell shared, “It’s an experience I will never forget. I kept reminding myself we had a 22-ton boat made of steel, but seeing three of them coming at once, quickly and at pace with their fins out of the water was daunting.” His encounter with the orcas lasted over an hour.

Humpback whales have such disdain for killer whales that they save other animals from orca attacks. I love the spite involved in intentionally screwing your foe out of a meal. A true sign of higher intelligence. pic.twitter.com/0M4RmLQYI6

— Frank DeScushin (@FrankDeScushin) June 27, 2023

Conor Ryan, an independent researcher advising the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, offered a theory for this new trend of attacks in northern waters. He suggested, “It’s possible that this ‘fad’ is leapfrogging through the various pods/communities.”

The most recent attack occurred last week against Team JAJO’s yacht participating in the Ocean Race.

An underwater video taken by a crew member showed the killer whales darting up under the Dutch yacht, then rushing toward the rudders, forcefully hitting them.

At one point, a whale even bit a rudder. The crew attempted to scare the orcas away by creating noise on the hull.

Recalling the intense episode, Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek said to CNN, “This was a scary moment. Three orcas came straight at us and started hitting the rudders. Impressive to see the orcas, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment for us as a team.” He concluded, “We took down the sails and slowed down the boat as quickly as possible and luckily after a few attacks they went away.”

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