There have been several stories regarding orcas attacking boats along the coasts of Spain, Portugal, and England. As a result, since sometime in 2020, there have been more than 500 hundred vessels reportedly damaged. Researchers have spent a lot of time trying to understand the vendetta these orcas have against humans. Recently they’ve come up with some answers and more groundbreaking information regarding White Gladis, the orca who started it all.
Orcas are incredibly bright creatures with their own culture, so to speak. They communicate with one another, help each other hunt, and travel in pods caring for one another’s babies. They’re actually incredibly impressive and evolved despite the numerous misconceptions about them. However, one detail about them is a little terrifying and simultaneously amusing. Because they’re such smart creatures, they have the ability to remember things in the same way people, crows, elephants, and other animals do.
White Gladis Holds a Grudge
As such, one infamous matriarch, White Gladis, has been deemed “holding a grudge” against humans. Specifically, human boats. The Coast Guard noticed a bizarre trend amongst reports off the coasts of the aforementioned countries. Many reported the same thing, their boats were being “attacked,” and orcas damaged the rudders. Researchers set to work to discover that one “matriarchal” member of an Orca pod has been showing other Orcas, through learned behavior, how to demolish boats—or at least their rudders.
White Gladis developed her grudge after it was believed that she may have come into contact with a fishing boat nearby. Evidently, she’d either been injured by the boat or caught in a fishing net. However, because Orcas seemingly target rudders, it’s most likely what caused her injury or trauma. Biologist Alfredo López Fernandez explained, “That traumatized orca is the one that started this behavior of physical contact with the boat.”
Alternatively, scientists now believe they may have uncovered another explanation for the vendetta.
White Gladis Faces Motherhood
While human pregnancies are around nine months long, Orcas have a gestational period of around 15-18 months. Therefore, scientists believe that because White Gladis gave birth to a calf in 2021, she could have been pregnant during the first reports of Orca attacks. They’ve even noted that she has “neglected her calf” to see her recruiting plans through. In fact, White Gladis has now recruited an estimated dozen other Orcas in an effort to eliminate the “threat.”
“She went to the boats with this calf, so she preferred to stop the boats rather than keeping her baby safe.” Mónica González, a marine biologist involved in studying this odd phenomenon, disclosed. “Orcas have echolocation, so they can see the rudder inside and outside, and they know how to touch it to break the rudder.”
Robert Pitman, another Orca expert and marine biologist, has highlighted an interesting point. Orca moms, like many species, are incredibly protective of their babies. Those calves stick around for at least two years while learning to hunt and survive on their own. This occurrence stands out to experts because White Gladis is ignoring her natural instincts, and endangering her baby, in pursuit of fulfilling her agenda.
Other Possibilities
Orcas are highly intelligent, playful, and curious. As such, other researchers have also disclosed that they believe White Gladis may just be playing or exploring. Regardless of the reason behind the attacks, researchers plan to take action, developing ways to deter White Gladis and her pupils.
Safety of the Orcas
As is good news for animal rights activists, the plans include “noise deterrents”, intended to scare the Orcas away. Sadly, researchers know that there’s a good possibility that Orcas will pay the price for White Gladis’ grudge or playfulness. “I am worried that people will take the situation into their own hands and use lethal or harmful tactics to try and, you know, get the whales to stop or at least, you know, stop an attack at the moment,” Deborah Giles shared.
As experts explore the animal kingdom, they learn a lot about the habits, patterns, and social behaviors of other species. Some of the most fascinating discoveries they’ve made are in regard to the intelligence of certain species. Although White Gladis’ motives are still being speculated, one thing is clear. She, Orcas, and likely most animal species have far more intelligence than experts believed in earlier generations.
Keep Reading: World’s first aerial footage of killer whales hunting and killing great white sharks is nature at its scariest
Sources
- This is why White Gladis the orca has started a killer whale uprising and won’t stop sinking boats. Unilad. Battison, J. June 29, 2023
- White Gladis, the killer whale who could be behind orcas attacking boats, may have been pregnant when she started the ‘uprising’. Insider Cohen, R. & Orwig, J. June 29, 2023
- White Gladis the orca may have been pregnant when she started attacking boats. Live Science Pare, S. 2023