Killer whales are impressive creatures when viewed from the outside. They’ve even inspired popular family movies like Free Willy. However, not all of them are courteous when they encounter boats in their own waters. Recently, killer whales have reportedly begun attacking boats in a coordinated manner. Swarms of killer whales caused three boats to sink as a result of the collisions. The latest attack was recorded on video.
According to scientists, the reason for the attacks is a killer whale named Gladis. Experts speculate that Gladis likely had a traumatic experience, such as colliding with a boat or being caught in fishing nets, which set off the first wave of attacks.
Because killer whales are social creatures, they easily adopt the behavior of other killer whales. This seems to have caused many killer whales in Europe to start attacking the boats. Attacks take the form of collisions, which not only endanger boats but also head injuries to animals. Scientists say Gladis continues to teach how to attack its environment, even teaching young whales.
It’s strange when killer whales attack boats, especially considering how gentle these creatures have always been. But even the great white shark, one of the ocean’s most powerful predators, fears killer whales. The frightening truth is that this state of constant learning could spread to other whale populations and cause a real war between boats and killer whales.
The last attack reportedly took place on May 2, in the Strait of Gibraltar. A yacht ran into trouble when it encountered a pack of killer whales. There was a couple on the yacht, Janet Morris and Stephen Bidwell. The couple managed to videotape the moment of the killer whales attack. While the killer whales did not sink the boat, it did cause thousands of dollars worth of serious damage.
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