An orca from the Iberian Peninsula, known for ramming boats, has been found with suspected gunshot wounds. Spanish officials have launched an investigation after the matriarch of the pod, Toñi, was spotted with wounds on her dorsal fin consistent with shots from a pellet gun. The wounds were detected in the Strait of Gibraltar, and some projectiles remain lodged in her fin, posing a risk of infection, according to a source from Spain's environment ministry. The ministry is in contact with Portuguese officials, as the wounds were noticed after the orcas traveled from waters off the Portuguese city of Faro.
The Iberian orcas gained international attention in 2020 when sailors reported rudders being rammed and boats spun around or tipped. Since then, a small group of orcas has been blamed for damaging numerous vessels and sinking at least four boats. Scientists have suggested the behavior might be play or practice for hunting, rather than attacks.
After Toñi's injuries came to light, the WeWhale and Iberian Orca Guardians (IOG) association have been closely monitoring her. IOG co-founder Janek Andre said, "We know Toñi. We were with her a few weeks ago and these wounds were not there." He added, "Seeing Toñi, la abuela [the grandmother], like this is devastating. If someone has deliberately fired a shotgun at her, this is not only an act of extreme cruelty against an individual animal. It is an attack on one of the last remaining members of a critically endangered population."
Researchers have long highlighted the stressors faced by this population, including food scarcity, injuries, and pollution, which have reduced their numbers to between 30 and 40 individuals. In 2023, video emerged showing people launching firecrackers at orcas as they rammed a vessel, indicating another threat from sailors. Andre emphasized, "There has been enormous public discussion about Iberian orcas and their interactions with vessels. Whatever someone's opinion about those interactions may be, shooting at these animals can never be an acceptable response. These orcas need protection, not retaliation."