Scientists Suggest Orcas Not ‘Attacking’ Boats But ‘Playing’ as a Kind of Whale ‘Cultural Fad’
© AP Photo / NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center
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A number of incidents have caught the attention of the media in recent months in which boats have suffered damage or even sunk during encounters with orcas. While these have been almost invariably reported as “attacks,” scientists are urging the public not to demonize the whales.
A group of more than 30 marine scientists around the world have signed an open letter denouncing the media treatment of orcas in recent months, warning it could lead to hatred and violence toward the intelligent creatures akin to that which befell sharks after the release of the 1975 thriller film “Jaws.”
“We urge the media and public to avoid projecting narratives on to these animals. In the absence of further evidence, people should not assume they understand the animals’ motivations,” the scientists said, noting that wildlife should not be punished for exhibiting unusual behavior.
Since 2020, dozens of incidents involving Iberian orcas, a small population of orcas that live off the coast of Spain and Portugal and dine primarily on bluefin tuna, have resulted in the damaging or sinking of human vessels. They have included repeating head-to-hull contact and even bites being taken out of the boats. These have led to a flurry of media reports about “attacks” by “killer whales” - a popular name for orcas - and a social media frenzy suggesting the marine mammals are the latest part of mother nature to turn hostile to humanity.
A smaller left-wing subculture has also emerged suggesting the orcas are potential allies in the struggle of working people against the capitalist billionaire class.
“We are concerned that factual errors related to these interactions are being repeated in the media,” the scientists wrote. “We believe this narrative inappropriately projects human motivations on to these whales and we are concerned that perpetuating it will lead to punitive responses by mariners or managers.”
30 July 2020, 20:30 GMT
“Science cannot yet explain why the Iberian orcas are doing this, although we repeat that it is more likely related to play/socializing than aggression. However, it is unfounded and potentially harmful to the animals to claim it is for revenge for past wrongs or to promote some other melodramatic storyline.”
Indeed, it should be noted that a wild orca has not injured a human since 1972 and has never killed one of us. They are among the most intelligent creatures on the planet, one of a handful of species able to pass the mirror test demonstrating self-awareness. Each group of orcas develops its own distinct culture, dialect and hunting techniques.
Orcas are also massive creatures. Mature whales can measure 20 to 26 feet in length and weigh more than 6 tons each. Even newborn calves are nearly 8 feet long and weigh roughly 400 pounds just after birth.
Since these attacks have only concerned the tiny group of Iberian orcas, the scientists suggested the incidents could be a cultural phenomenon among the whales akin to a “fad.”
Robert Pitman, a marine ecologist for the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University who signed the letter, told UK media that Orcas “are intelligent, social creatures – they like diversions. My guess is this is just a passing fad, and they will lose interest if people don’t find a way to discourage them first.”
Here’s hoping the orcas don’t discover TikTok, or we could be in real trouble.
