In the past two years, these incidents have more than tripled according to data released by GTOA, a group that researches orcas in the region.
“Nobody knows why this is happening,” Trites told CBS News. “My idea, or what anyone would give you, is informed speculation. It is a total mystery, unprecedented.”
Trites said there is no doubt whales are damaging boats and terrifying the people on board, but the reason is a mystery. He said, however, there must be something positively reinforcing this behavior and the benefits for the whales outweigh the cost.
Only a small group of killer whales, also called orcas, is showing the behavior of ramming into boats, including yachts and sailboats, and it appears the action is spreading through their population. Trites said in 2011, there were only about 39 whales in the small group.
The whales are seen near Spain and Portugal, often in the summer, and dozens of people have reportedly witnessed this behavior.
Last week, a group of killer whales broke the rudder and pierced the hull of a sailboat in the area. The crew of four onboard needed to call authorities for help and we were rescued, Reuters reports. Their boat was towed back to the port for repairs. Earlier this month, three orcas impacted a sailing yacht. The boat was so flooded after the incident that it could not be towed back.
This is just one of about 20 instances recorded in the area this month by GTOA, a group that researches orcas in the region. The Spanish Transport Ministry has advised boaters should leave the area if they observe a change in an orca’s direction or speed and should report any interactions, according to Reuters.
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