The Iberian killer whale Critically Endangered: It is critically endangered by maritime traffic, pollution and increasingly by conflicts with recreational boaters. Ecologists in Action was able to verify this dangerous situation, which the IUCNduring his stay in July with the sailboat Diosa Maat in Barbate.
The Iberian killer whale is a different subpopulation, very small. They are mentioned Orcas of the Strait of Gibraltar and the Gulf of Cádiz. Their close relatives They would be individuals that are sporadically observed in nature Canary Islands and they are genetically isolated from individuals who live Norwegian and Icelandic waters. The size of the adults Iberian killer whales It is between 5 and 6.5 meters. It is small in size compared to other killer whales worldwide, such as the Antarctic specimens, which reach 9 meters. Juvenile specimens are 3 to 4.5 m long and puppies are between 2 and 3 m long.
During the month of July, the ecological organization’s sailboat Diosa Maat, with a crew of volunteers, sailed alongside the ships We Whale and Sea Shepherd-France, aiming to identify possible interactions between the Iberian killer whales with sailboats and analyze how this small population in the Strait can be protected.
Our first conclusion is that it is essential to follow the protocol established in the “Conservation plan for the Iberian killer whale” of the Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITRED) indicating that you should not navigate to the groups of Iberian killer whales and a minimum distance of 500 m must be maintained on approach. These small groups, from 5 to 7 Iberian killer whales, they usually eat or hunt their favorite staple food, which is bluefin tuna, a species they follow on their migratory paths. And for this to happen without incident, it is necessary not to interrupt this task; It is necessary to leave them alone.
Iberian killer whales
Just in case Iberian killer whales those who come closer, it is appropriate to abandon or not resist their interactions with the rudder blade of sailboats or small boats.
The environmental organization experienced one of these visits, from a group of 7 Iberian killer whales that he was enjoying himself with the boat and the rudder blade, without causing any damage to the sailboat by not offering any resistance.
We could see the feeling of curiosity and pleasure with the boat of this beautiful and valuable animal that survives in its habitat according to its natural instincts. Their behavior was similar to that of dolphins that like to navigate and guide boats; the problem is that the Iberian killer whale It is much larger in size and weight, so approaching small boats may cause some damage.
This ties in with our second conclusion which leads us to the Iberian killer whale and work against the perception of this animal as a predator that must be controlled and even eliminated.
In Barbate, the fishermen confirm that they have never had any problems with the ‘espartes’, the name they give to the fish Iberian killer whales (from Cape Spartel in Morocco?), and that the problems started about 4 or 5 years ago. Since then, we’ve heard sensational news that has no scientific basis: no one has been attacked or injured by one Iberian killer whale While in freedom, only a few sailboats or small boats suffered damage to their rudders and were therefore left without steering or had a leak.
These interactions can be easily avoided without resorting to shooting animals, throwing fireworks at them, and putting horizontal blades on the rudders of small boats. You just have to navigate through the area where the Iberian killer whales: proximity to the coast and areas with a depth of less than 30 m.
Preventing interactions with Iberian killer whales It is perfectly possible to sail along the coast between Conil and Tarifa at a depth of less than 30 meters. The consequences of taking the law into your own hands are unpredictable and punishable.
There are no records of it Iberian killer whales in the wild that have attacked humans even when swimming a few meters away. The diet of the Iberian killer whale It is limited to fish, preferably tuna.
Of the more than 35 individuals cataloged three years ago, the environmental organization has been able to verify only about 15 individuals this year.
The Iberian killer whale It is a valuable example of the biodiversity of this Cadiz area between the Strait and the Janda coast: the Iberian killer whale It is a huge value and not a problem, and therefore we must act with knowledge and respect.