Endangered ‘grandmother’ orca found with suspected gunshot wounds

Spain's Environment Ministry has ordered an investigation into the likely shooting of a rare Iberian orca that was filmed swimming ​with wounds to its dorsal fin, Deputy Prime Minister ‌Sara Aagesen said on Friday.

"The oldest orca in the Strait of Gibraltar has appeared with marks compatible with pellets" fired from a shotgun this week, ​she wrote in a post on Bluesky, announcing the investigation. "It ​is a vulnerable species and any harm to them ⁠is a serious crime."

The WeWhale Association and Iberian Orca Guardians ​said earlier they had documented multiple new wounds across the dorsal ​fin of Toñi, the oldest known Iberian orca, during their field operations.

"Seeing Toñi, “La Abuela” (the grandmother) like this is devastating," said Janek Andre, head of the two ​conservation groups. "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."

The Iberian orca subpopulation counts fewer than 40 animals, according to the groups.

Referring to a series of boat rammings ​by orca pods ​off the coasts ⁠of Spain and Portugal in recent years, Andre said: "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."

Scientists have yet to reach a consensus on the reasons for this relatively recent boat-ramming behaviour. Although known as ⁠killer ​whales, orcas are part of the dolphin ​family. They can measure up to 8 metres (26 feet) and weigh up to 6 ​metric tons (13,200 pounds) as adults.

-Reuters