Orcas Are Ramming Into Yachts In The Iberian Peninsula, And Experts Suspect The Animals Are Exhibiting This Behavior To Practice Hunting Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Orcas have been ramming into yachts in the Iberian Peninsula, and experts believe the behavior is due to them practicing how to hunt their favorite food.
It all started back in 2020 when juvenile orcas began hitting and sinking boats. Scientists were unsure whether it was an accident, for revenge, or just for fun.
Now, they are theorizing that young orcas are using the boats as targets to practice hunting Atlantic bluefin tuna.
A team of researchers led by Bruno Díaz López, the director of the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI), analyzed citizen science data to determine the distribution of orca populations.
Almost half (47 percent) of the 597 records of killer whale occurrences were related to interactions with vessels.
The team used the data to create computer models of the orcas’ movements to figure out their seasonal activity. The models showed that the orcas and tunas were influenced by the same environmental factors.
Wherever the tuna go, the orcas are likely to follow. They noted there were seasonal shifts in the orcas’ preferred habitats, which corresponded with the migration of tunas.
Different communities of orcas favor different prey. Iberian orcas rely on tuna a lot. Fortunately, Atlantic bluefin tuna are no longer considered to be endangered thanks to conservation efforts protecting them from overfishing.
Since the tuna’s numbers have bounced back, the Iberian orcas have more food available to them. They can now spend less time hunting and more time playing around.
Photocreo Bednarek – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
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The extra playtime has given them an opportunity to hone their hunting skills. To catch tuna successfully, the orcas must work together because the fish can weigh hundreds of pounds, swim in large groups, and are one of the speediest fish in the sea.
So, orcas will ram to separate an individual tuna from its group. When the orcas have isolated a tuna, they will tire it out and herd it toward shallower waters, where it’ll be easier to catch.
The reports of their behavior toward sailboats indicate that the orcas are performing similar actions as they would on a hunt. They ram the fast-moving rudder over and over before attempting to bite it.
Erich Hoyt, a researcher at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, agreed that the orcas were engaging in playtime. He was not involved with the study. He also does not believe there is a specific aim to the play activity.
“I don’t believe the orcas are playing with the rudders just to refine their hunting skills for tuna,” he said. “I think their play is more like kids’ play, without a set goal but which, in effect, helps building cognitive and physical skills.”
Hoyt advises sailors to monitor the orcas’ movements and stay away from them in order to prevent more negative encounters. The behavior may gradually decrease over time, just like any trend in our world.
The study was published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management.
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