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| Killer whale |
Killer whales are some of the most majestic members of the dolphin family. Their striking features and remarkable intelligence have earned them a special place in hearts of people worldwide, most notably in Free Willy and performances in several marine parks. However, behind the awe-inspiring image, there are facts that are often overlooked by the general public. Killer whales are the most dominant marine predators in the world; capable of preying on seals, sea lions, other whales and dolphins, and even great white sharks. Their ability to live and work together as a team has made them a force to be reckoned with. This was recently seen in the Mediterranean Sea when, in the last two months, a pod of killer whales was reported attacking boats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. Most of the attacks on boats occurred from the Strait of Gibraltar to Galicia. Reports indicated that the whales have damaged many boats and injured several people. One of the victims was a sailor named Victoria Morris, who described the attack as "totally orchestrated." She further added that about nine whales surrounded her boat and kept ramming it for over an hour. It felt as if the whales were capsizing the boat. The damage caused by the whales was so severe that the boat had to be towed away. In addition to ramming against the boat, the whales also bit the boat's underside. The attacks have left researchers confused because killer whales are not normally aggressive. Although they often follow boats, there had never been any recorded cases of group-based aggressions among killer whales. Rocio Espada, a biologist from University of Seville, commented that it is possible the whales resorted to this bizarre behavior due to stress caused by heavy boat traffic in the area.
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| A killer whale leaping in Hood Canal |
I also find it surprising and perplexing that killer whales have recently been reported attacking boats out in the wild. This is because killer whale attacks are very rare in the wild and such incidences have never resulted in any human fatality. Majority of attacks on people have occurred in SeaWorld and other marine parks, in which the whales would turn against their human trainers fatally injuring or killing them in the process. Such incidences have resulted in a demand for ban in killer whale shows. But this is the first time wild killer whales attempted to attack people without any human-induced provocation. What caused these animals to suddenly attack people? Is it stress due to heavy boat traffic in a specific part of the Mediterranean where the attacks occurred? Or could there be other issues for such a behavior? I think it is highly crucial to investigate this matter thoroughly, in order to deeply understand why killer whales are attacking boats. But one thing is certain from these attacks is that they clearly indicate how powerful these whales are and that they command respect. Media may depict killer whales as charismatic and fun-loving animals made famous in Free Willy and in other films and television shows, but in reality, these are highly intelligent, social, and potentially dangerous animals capable of killing great white sharks. I would strongly urge for implementation of protective measurements against any further attacks. This includes reducing boat traffic in areas of attacks and identifying times of days or months when the whales frequent the Mediterranean. At the same time, researchers need to thoroughly study Mediterranean's killer whales in order to find out what is causing them to attack boats and why.
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