Rebellious orcas that have gained a reputation for damaging luxury yachts might actually be young individuals who are acting out due to lack of supervision from older members of their pod, according to experts.
The endangered population, which resides near the coast of Gibraltar, has been involved in a series of attacks on passing vessels in recent years. These incidents have included tearing off rudders and even sinking high-end yachts. Their actions have encompassed ramming, biting, and nudging the boats.
This behaviour has been referred to as the so-called “orca uprising,” with social media suggesting that the orcas are seeking revenge after humans encroached on their territory. However, scientists propose an alternative explanation: the orcas could be curious but neglected youth who haven’t been properly taught the standards of their species.
According to The Times, overfishing over the past decade may have altered the food web, leading to lower breeding rates and a decline in numbers. When conditions improved, new calves were left without the guidance of teenage orcas.
“We disrupted the tradition of the teenager taking care of the young ones,” says Martin Boye of the Loro Parque Fundación. “They should have been under the watch of their teenage relatives, but there were no teenagers left.”
Boye added, “So these calves started doing stupid things; they weren’t afraid of anything. And then they grew up and became adults, and when they play now, it’s a little bit more robust.”
Boye will be joined by his colleague Renaud de Stephanis and Javier Almunia of the University of La Laguna to investigate this theory in the coming months by listening to the group.
The marine mammals have shown a particular interest in the rudders of boats, with Boye explaining, “When you push a rudder, it will kind of bounce back – they seem to find that very funny.”
Between 2020 and 2023, there were approximately 500 recorded instances of orca attacks on vessels, with over 250 boats damaged and four vessels sunk during the same period. The frequency of these attacks has reportedly increased over the years, with a significant spike following 2020.
In July 2024, orcas attacked and sank the Bonhomie William, a British sailing yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar. All three passengers on board were rescued by Spanish coastguards.
“I heard a crunch, and it sounded like I’d hit a rock,” said sailor Robert Powell, speaking to Yachting World. “It was like a really loud scraping noise, and there was a real big shudder on the boat. I thought I’d hit a container or a fishing net or something submerged.”
He added, “They just didn’t let up. One of them had the rudder in its mouth, it was like it was trying to wrench it off, and then I spotted a third orca which came in and banged against the rudder as well.”
There have been several theories about why the orcas are behaving this way, including that they are exhibiting playful behaviour, according to a Marine Mammal Science article from 2022.
Independent readers are independent-minded global citizens. They are not defined by traditional demographics or profiles, but by their attitudes. In today’s increasingly fragmented world, communities value real facts and frank opinions delivered first-hand from a non-biased news brand that they can trust. Armed with information and inspiration, Independent readers are empowered and equipped to take a stand for the things they believe in.
