Iberian Orca Suffers Suspected Gunshot Wounds

## Investigation Launched into Orca's Injuries Spanish officials have launched an investigation after the matriarch of an orca pod known for interacting with vessels off the Iberian Peninsula was spotted with wounds suggesting she had been shot by a pellet gun. The oldest living member of the pod, known as Toñi, was seen swimming in the Strait of Gibraltar with markings on her dorsal fin that were consistent with shots from a pellet gun. According to a source from Spain's environment ministry, some of the projectiles remained lodged in her fin, posing a risk of infection. The ministry was in touch with officials in Portugal, as the markings were detected after the orcas had travelled from the waters off the Portuguese city of Faro. ## Baffling Behaviour of Iberian Orcas The orcas of the Iberian Peninsula have been in the headlines since 2020, after sailors shared stories of rudders that had been rammed and boats that had been spun 180 degrees or tipped sideways. Since then, a small group of orcas from the pod have been blamed for damaging scores of vessels and sinking at least four boats, leaving scientists scrambling to explain the baffling behaviour. Scientists have suggested that the behaviour could be a form of play or a means of practising their hunting skills, pushing back against the assertion that the orcas are attacking vessels. However, the recent injuries to Toñi have sparked concerns about the safety of the orcas and the need for protection. ## Calls for Protection and Investigation The WeWhale and Iberian Orca Guardians (IOG) association have been closely tracking the animal for any sign of weakness. The IOG co-founder Janek Andre stated, "We know Toñi. We were with her a few weeks ago and these wounds were not there." He added, "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 sought to highlight the many stressors faced by this population of orcas as they navigate life in a major shipping route. Food scarcity, injuries, and pollution have left the population on a knife's edge, reduced to between 30 and 40 individuals. The recent incident has sparked calls for protection and investigation into the safety of the orcas. As Andre stated, "Whatever someone's opinion about the interactions between Iberian orcas and vessels may be, shooting at these animals can never be an acceptable response. These orcas need protection, not retaliation.