Orcas

Authorities recommend caution to navigators after several incidents have been reported in May between small ships and orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar, while the aggressive behavior of the orcas remains unexplained.

Thirty-two cetacean species have been recorded as prey, from observing orcas' feeding activity, examining the stomach contents of dead orcas, and seeing scars on the bodies of surviving prey animals.

A very articulate and sincere young man explains the causes and threats of human caused climate change in a recent letter to the editor (“Act on climate crisis so we can see orcas,” The Herald, Sept. 9).

Both native Northwest species are endangered, and a unique private-public partnership hopes that by saving orcas and salmon, they can preserve local ecosystems, Tribal treaty rights, Indigenous culture, and local fishing.

Footage shows orcas repeatedly targeting boat rudders in the Strait of Gibraltar.

Invited to suggest his own hypothesis for the strange attacks, which were first noted three years ago, Dr De Stephanis, who has spent 27 years observing these orcas, said he was prepared to explore them all, however outlandish they might seem.

Luckily, the journey to Orcas is one of the best parts of the getaway.

Most orcas seen off California are spotted near Monterey or farther up the coast, Askari said.

Nuria Riera, an artist who lives in Tarifa on the southern Spanish coast, and who volunteers with the conservation and whale-watching organisation Firmm, says the language that has been used to describe the orcas' behaviour is simply unfair.

Orcas are called “killer” whales because they’re apex predators—that is, they’re at the top of the oceanic food chain.

Orcas have been involved in a number of incidents involving sailing boats recently in the Strait of Gibraltar as well as off Portugal and Galicia in north-western Spain.

Second, beware the comrade orcas.

The event was sponsored by the Edmonds Marsh Estuary Advocates, an environmental organization made up of local volunteers who are concerned about the condition of the Edmonds Marsh and its potential to support orcas and salmon.

The Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) said "the prohibition of the active approach to groups of orcas by maritime tourist vessels," was now in place.

Their appearance Monday “was when they were going up the coast,” Askari said, adding that subsequent reports indicated the orcas were headed back south.

The lucky folks aboard a Monterey Bay Whale Watch tour encountered 30 orcas who were apparently working off the calories following a lavish sea lion buffet.

The Lummi Nation, a Native American tribe based in Washington state, refers to orcas as тАЬqwe ‘lhol mechen,тАЭ which means тАЬour relations below the waves.

The pod of eight orcas included one called Splitfin, because of its distinctive fin, which had also sighted off Eden in 2009.

There are other kinds of behaviour that do appear to bring rewards – for example, captive orcas learning to regurgitate fish to use as bait for gulls, which they apparently prefer to eat over the fish.

Three orcas, the large black-and-white dolphins also known as killer whales, worked in tandem; a large orca rammed the boat from the side while two smaller ones gnawed at the rudder until it was destroyed and the yacht was taking on water.