The Mad Scientist and the Killer Whales:
Since 2020, orcas off the coast of Spain and Portugal have sunk and destroyed sailing vessels ...
rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/orca-killer-whales-yachts-1235011945/
Photo: rollingstone.com · view article
Orcas Target Sailboats in the Strait of GibraltarSince 2020, nearly 1,000 attacks on sailboats have occurred in the Strait of Gibraltar, prompting urgent scientific study.
Key FactsMay 18, 2024 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: rollingstone.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: rollingstone.com
- Orcas deliberately ram sailboats' rudders, causing significant damage and sometimes sinking vessels.
- These incidents are concentrated in the busy Strait of Gibraltar and peak during spring and summer months.
- Researcher Renaud de Stephanis has studied this orca group for decades and advises boaters on avoidance tactics.
- Experts largely reject the revenge theory, viewing the behavior as playful or a cultural phenomenon among the orcas.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not too long before we see someone attempting to shoot one of these animals,— Luke Rendell, marine-mammal expert at the University of St. Andrews, quoted in Rolling Stone's The Mad Scientist and the Killer Whales
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Orcas Just Sank Another Yacht: Orcas have once again attacked and sunk a boat near the Strait of Gibraltar, a behavior that has scientists stumped
scientificamerican.com/article/orcas-just-sank-another-yacht/
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Summary created with AI assistance · Source: cbsnews.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: cbsnews.com
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