Scientists believe they have finally figured out why killer whales keep attacking boats offshore and it may all be down to a freaky habit. Numerous videos have surfaced online of orcas randomly ramming and sinking ships in the Strait of Gibraltar. The bizarre behaviour has baffled experts, and some wonder if the animals are teaching each other to attack boats. Since May 2020, experts have reported nearly 700 incidents near the Iberian Peninsula. Theories have been circulating online since then that orcas see boats as competition or a lack of food. Leading marine biologist Alex Zerbini, chair of the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) scientific committee, suspects that this behaviour is most likely a new “cultural tradition.” He explained that different populations often have different dietary specialisations maintained by cultural lore, and these “ecotypes” typically have a variety of enduring behavioural traditions related to their different foraging habits.
“Some populations may also develop unusual and transient behavioural fashions and other idiosyncrasies that appear to serve no obvious adaptive purpose,” said Alex Zerbini. Researchers noted that killer whales in the South Pacific have exhibited several bizarre behaviours over the years that seem to come and go like a trend. In 1987, the species began carrying dead salmon on its head for no apparent reason. The behaviour then stopped and resumed in the summer of 2008, Independent reports.
In other cases, pairs of juvenile and adult male orcas have been documented practising ritualised ramming or butting of their heads over 20 years. They eventually stopped. Dr Zerbini told the Washington Post, “The animals’ behaviour does not suggest they are aggressive. Not all interactions ended with damage to the vessel.”
He further explained that the animals may not be aware that they are having a major impact on the vessels, saying that this could be done “more playfully than intentionally.” He added, “While they are playing with the rudder, they do not understand that they can damage the rudder and that damaging the rudder has implications for humans. It is more playful than intentional. It could be that the Iberian killer whales’ current fixation on boats, and particularly their rudders, is a short-lived fad and that, should it suddenly stop, it could resurface at a later date.”
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