About one in sixty people live near the waters where killer whales are seen most often, especially along the Strait of Gibraltar and the coastlines of Galicia. A distinctive effort has begun: researchers are embedding a GPS locator in a killer whale’s dorsal fin to warn seafarers and help prevent collisions with the increasingly common sailboats plying these routes.
Satellite tagging of this orca has enabled the creation of the first weekly tracking maps. The Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge will implement the system so sailors know where cetacean families are and adjust passages accordingly.
Such measures aim to minimize orca strikes on sailboats, a risk that began appearing about three years ago and has grown more dangerous for boats and crews, especially in the Strait of Gibraltar and along Galicia’s coasts.
24 sailboats rescued in 2023
Sea Rescue teams had to intervene this year to assist 24 sailors who faced trouble at sea after encounters with orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar waters.
The image of an orca harassing a sailboat in the Bosphorus underscores the ongoing challenge for mariners in these busy waterways, with Sea Rescue records showing the pattern of incidents continuing into the season.
The number of rescues nearly doubles the fourteen saved in all of 2022 and tops the thirteen saved in 2021, according to data provided to a national information service. The figures exclude periods or routes where boats did not require assistance.
The most recent incident occurred around 10 p.m. on 25 May, when four crew members on a 20-meter sailboat traveling from Tarifa to Gibraltar reported a collision with a group of orcas. The rudder sustained damage and the vessel drifted in a widened waterway before help arrived.
Sea Rescue ferried the four crew members by helicopter and towed the sailboat to Barbate harbor for safe recovery.
A puppy game?
Instances like these began appearing in 2020 and have recurred since, leaving the scientific community unsettled about this new behavior in orcas. Possible explanations range from social play to learning behaviors, with questions about whether the activity is a response to perceived threats or a form of interaction with vessels.
What is clear is that orcas tend to engage with rudder blades in a way that suggests more observation and contact than aggression. If their intent were to attack, the animals could sink boats in moments. These animals can weigh up to two tons as juveniles and seven tons as adults, and they routinely swim at speeds around 50 kilometers per hour.
Images of orcas near boats and their calm approach have been shared by sailors and rescue crews, illustrating a pattern of curiosity rather than hostility.
Experts describe orcas as peaceful, sociable, and curious by nature, with no recorded attacks on humans in these contexts. Testimonies from sailing captains indicate that younger orcas touch the rudder and pass under vessels, while older individuals may position themselves alongside boats as if accompanying a game with the crew aboard.
Satellite marking to reduce impacts
So far, the interactions have led to measures such as temporary sailing restrictions in certain zones. The Ministry has picked up the initiative again, aiming to reduce contact and to study these newly observed behaviors in a species listed in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species.
Conservation teams, in collaboration with the CIRCE information and study platform, have undertaken satellite tagging to track crucial patterns and inform safer routes for seafarers.
With a small titanium-tipped implement being used to place a tiny device on the dorsal fin, the process is designed to be nearly painless. After about a month and a half, the device is typically shed naturally, allowing ongoing monitoring without harming the animal, according to CIRCE coordinators.
This tagging will help produce maps identifying high-risk and low-risk areas for watercraft, guiding safer navigation for crews in the spring and early summer when orca groups visit the Bosphorus and move north as tuna season approaches. The information gained from these groups applies to the broader pod, not just individual members.
Additional techniques tested with expert teams aim to minimize encounters and deepen scientists’ understanding of orca habits, including potential strategies to retrain interactions with sailboats.
Advice for seafarers in the region
Maritime security officials offer guidance to boaters who encounter orcas at sea.
Sailors are advised to reduce speed and head toward shallow waters when safe, ideally using motorized propulsion rather than sails. Beyond protecting marine mammals, the core recommendation is to avoid behavior that could cause harm, distress, or anxiety to the animals.
Captains and crew are reminded to report any encounters and, when possible, capture photographic records of involved orca individuals. Adhering to precautionary maritime practices remains essential for safety and wildlife protection.
Officials emphasize that accurate records support ongoing monitoring and risk assessment for future sailings.
For reference, the environmental department maintains a contact channel for reporting and questions, as part of ongoing efforts to manage this issue responsibly.