Over the past couple of years, orcas off the coasts of Portugal, Spain and France have picked up an unusual habit: They’re ramming into boats, and scientists are puzzled.
Orcas have been targeting rudders on small boats, often snapping, cracking or breaking them with their heads and chewing them with their teeth. Because of this behavior, there are temporary bans on small boats in some areas along the western coast of Europe, including Portugal, France and Spain. In a couple of cases, a few ships have been sunk due to the damage caused by the killer whales.
However, not all orcas participate in this behavior. “At this time, there may be at least 15 orcas, from six different groups, which are actively participating, or [acting] as observers,” says biologist Alfredo López from the University of Santiago for Discover Magazine. He has been researching this unique behavior for two years now and has followed marked groups of orcas.
There are a couple of hypotheses as to why the whales are targeting boats. Some researchers think orcas enjoy the feeling of bubbles from the propellers, so they ram boats when the bubbles dissipate. López on the other hand has different ideas.
López’s organization, Grupo de trabajo Orca Atlántica, has collected data on 239 cases of boat ramming that took place in 2020 and 2021. Their data so far suggests that the whales are displaying a form of self-learned behavior or a type of defense mechanism.
The orcas being observed are a very small group that is also critically endangered. In 2020, a selection of nine orcas were apparently the only whales participating in this raucous behavior. One of the groups consisted of all young and teen whales.
The social behaviors of this species might also offer clues to the recent boat-bashing incidents. Some researchers wonder if these acts are simply fun and games for the whales. These researchers cite orca behavior observed in 1987. One orca from the Southern Resident group, a small clan of orcas in the Salish Sea, started to carry dead salmon on its head while swimming. Other orcas began to do the same, copying the behavior of the first whale; and then they suddenly stopped.
Jared Towers, director of Bay Cetology, a team of marine biologists based out of Canada, has observed other orcas wrapping themselves in fishing lines and carrying crab pots to new locations.
Towers explains that behavioral fads vary depending on the sex and age of the whale. Behavior “fads” are affected by these factors as well and they can suddenly stop. “I’m certainly hoping that’s what happens with this behavior. But it’s been going on for a few years now. So, we’re not quite sure what to expect,” says Towers.
Unfortunately, recent incidents have resulted in the injury of whales, and at least two deaths. Thus far, there have been no human fatalities due to the whale’s behaviors. López encourages humans to learn about and understand orca behavior and he advocates for changes in things like shipping routes.
“This behavior is the result of the last 100 years of our relationship with orcas. Let us reflect on what we have done and what we want to do, not only with orcas but with the planet,” he says. “Give them space to develop their lives.”
To read more, click here. —Lidia Goldberg
