Orcas have sunk 3 boats in Europe and appear to be teaching others to do the same. But why?

[brooklynite]

Live Science

Orcas have attacked and sunk a third boat off the Iberian coast of Europe, and experts now believe the behavior is being copied by the rest of the population.

Three orcas (Orcinus orca), also known as killer whales, struck the yacht on the night of May 4 in the Strait of Gibraltar, off the coast of Spain, and pierced the rudder. "There were two smaller and one larger orca," skipper Werner Schaufelberger told the German publication Yacht. "The little ones shook the rudder at the back while the big one repeatedly backed up and rammed the ship with full force from the side."

Schaufelberger said he saw the smaller orcas imitate the larger one. "The two little orcas observed the bigger one's technique and, with a slight run-up, they too slammed into the boat." Spanish coast guards rescued the crew and towed the boat to Barbate, but it sank at the port entrance.

Two days earlier, a pod of six orcas assailed another sailboat navigating the strait. Greg Blackburn, who was aboard the vessel, looked on as a mother orca appeared to teach her calf how to charge into the rudder. "It was definitely some form of education, teaching going on," Blackburn told 9news.

[roamer65]

1. They've figured out the creatures on the boat are harmful to their home.

Or they are hungry!

But, I’ll stick with the orca epiphany that mean people suck.

[ShazzieB]

26. I love the idea of orcas figuring out that mean people suck!

They're very smart, so why wouldn't they figure that out? And once they do, well...look out!

[Farmer-Rick]

2. Yeah, elephants will attack people unprovoked too

They remember when their relatives were killed by humans or humans in boats.

They have good memories.

[Docjohnson]

3. Gaia

Is just naturally controlling the overpopulation of people

[Timeflyer]

4. I wish manatees could do this--they're always getting torn up by careless boaters.

[live love laugh]

5. Food?

[Maru Kitteh]

6. Thank goodness some other intelligent creature is fighting back.

It's about time. Because truthfully, we really suck at this. By this I kind of mean just about everything lately.

[malaise]

8. THIS

Humans are thoughtless, greedy monsters

[Maru Kitteh]

15. It's the cruelty malaise. Why we have to kill every living thing and each other

I will never, never understand.






I'm feeling very melancholy and angry right now. These fires were the final staw for one of my kindest, most gentle patients with COPD yesterday. It made me feel irrational, like running outside and literally screaming at the smoke. It made me so angry . . at the smoke.

And we're stuck in this now. Days. Weeks. Likely much of the summer.


So. I'm on team Orca.

[cstanleytech]

21. Seals probably feel the same way about orcas.

After all in this world everything is food for something in the end.
As for whats happening here I do wonder what connection the orcas are making with the yachts as far as being a threat unless some asshole decided it would be a good idea to shoot at them from one.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

40. Agent Smith?

[link:|

[malaise]

43. Well said

And welcome to DU😀

[dflprincess]

7. Revenge for Sea World?

I can't say I blame them.

Besides, they probably find it fun.

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. "Which one of you is the one called 'Moby Dick'?"

"I am Moby Dick."
"No, I am Moby Dick."
"No, I am Moby Dick!"

[bluedigger]

10. Drag shows?

[progressoid]

13. Yep. Gotta be.

[dalton99a]

11. Hope they learn to attack the superyachts

[jeffreyi]

12. Turn about is effing fair play y'all.

[CatWoman]

14. hmmmmmm

[msongs]

16. like shaking seals off of ice floes. they see a source of edibles...except for those heavy jackets

other clothing in the way

[DBoon]

30. I'm sure they can figure out how to remove the wrapping

If my dog can do it, so can orcas

[yonder]

17. Are the attacks on the rudders the same behavior

they would use on another large sea mammal or just a fluke? That seems curious.

[Warpy]

18. Competition for food or injuries from propellers

would be my top guess. They're cetaceans, they've got bigger brains than we do.

We'll see if they attack sail boats or just the ones with propellers. If it's the latter, they're definitely using those big brains of theirs.

[cstanleytech]

22. Could also be a case of some asshole shooting at them from one.

I know that would probably piss me off if I was an orca.

[groundloop]

23. Article says they're attacking only sailboats..... doesn't say anything about powered vessels.

[Warpy]

42. Interesting and puzzling, thanks NT

[wnylib]

19. The article said that 4 orcas have died.

Although the deaths could not be definitively attributed to injuries from attacking the rudders, it's a possibility.

Injuries and deaths from the attacks might reinforce to the orcas the idea that the sailing boats are dangerous and deserving of even more attacks to protect themselves.

Or, I wonder if they might be trying to protect their food sources (fish) from being taken by fishers on the boats. "MY food! Go find your own somewhere else!"

Or, protecting themselves from being caught in fish nets.

[flvegan]

20. Good. Maybe these true apex predators have sorted out

that the soft, squishy bits captaining these vessels are the ones destroying their ecosystems and pillaging their food stocks.

[RipVanWinkle]

24. They're MAGA Republicans

Doing harm for no reason.

[SouthernDem4ever]

25. Humans aren't part of the normal Orca diet?

I thought they were killer whales! Turns out they eat other marine life but not usually humans. That is very anti-climactic to my sea world days. All this time I thought the guy riding the whale was in danger.

[IL Dem]

29. Actually, orcas are dolphins.

They are called whales due to their size.

[Ferrets are Cool]

27. Sadly, this will get them killed.

[StClone]

32. Just like wolves, bears, coyotes, puma...etc.

[Ferrets are Cool]

33. Yup

[AnrothElf]

28. I can't possibly imagine why... n/t

[Hekate]

31. Revenge would be my guess

[RandySF]

34. I can't blame them.

[hatrack]

35. I, for one, welcome our new cetacean overlords!!

.

[Iggo]

36. Orcas hate boats, that's why.

[PXR-5]

37. KEEP YOUR PLASTIC BOTTLES OUT OF OUR SEA!!

Or the eatings will continue!

[1WorldHope]

38. I think I've read about then attacking large whales too.

This would be good training for both hunting larger prey but also getting rid of the assholes on these yachts who really do need their asses kicked.

[Bayard]

39. Quite interesting that they are teaching their young to attack boats

Obviously they see boats and/or people as a threat, as well they should.

These are not stupid creatures.

[tinrobot]

41. They're speculating one of the Orcas was involved in a collision.

Experts suspect that a female orca they call White Gladis suffered a "critical moment of agony" — a collision with a boat or entrapment during illegal fishing — that flipped a behavioral switch. "That traumatized orca is the one that started this behavior of physical contact with the boat," López Fernandez said.

Orcas are social creatures that can easily learn and reproduce behaviors performed by others, according to the 2022 study. In the majority of reported cases, orcas have made a beeline for a boat's rudder and either bitten, bent or broken it.

It's not that they're trying to get back at all of humanity.

They're simply attacking the sailboats that attacked one of them.

[onethatcares]

44. Mother Nature always bats last

I see a movie involving that mega yacht that had to have a bridge removed to get to the sea after being built.

Imagine if you will a line of 300 Orcas pushing against one side of that yacht.

[Blue Owl]

45. Just wait until they evolve the opposable thumbs

We're screwed!