Pod of orcas sink 50-foot yacht in Moroccan waters

RAMMING THEIR YACHT. THE FIRST REPORTED ENCOUNTER LIKE THIS THIS YEAR. IT'S THE KIND OF HEART-STOPPING WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER SAILORS DREAD, KILLER WHALES RAMMING BOATS, AT TIMES BREAKING THE RUTTERS LEAVING THE BOATS UNSTEERABLE OR, WORSE, SINKING THEM. NOW IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CREW OF THE 50-FOOT SAILBOAT CALLING FOR HELP EARLY SUNDAY SAYING ORCAS DAMAGED THE RUTTER AND THE YACHT WAS TAKING ON WATER. THE CREW RESCUED. THE BOAT SANK. THE SAME POD OF ORCAS HAD BEEN PLAYING SINCE 2020. MORE THAN 400 ENCOUNTERS, SINKING AT LEAST 5 BOATS. >> SAILORS CALL THIS A TEXT. YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE DOING IT. ONE HYPOTHESIS IS THAT THIS IS SAM KIND OF PLAYFULNESS. THEY SWIM OVER. THEY PLAY WITH THE RUTTERS, AND THEN THEY LEAVE AGAIN. >> Reporter: ORCAS, THE LARGEST MEMBER OF THE DOLPHIN FAMILY, CAN GROW UP TO 32 FEET LONG AND WEIGH SIX TONS, LIVING AS LONG AS 90 YEARS. THIS PARTICULAR POD IS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED AND SCIENTISTS SAY RETURNS TO THE SAME AREA EVERY YEAR LOOKING FOR BLUE FIN TUNA. OCEAN CARE STRESSING WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE ORCAS BEHAVIOR IS ANY FORM OF REVENGE OR A DELIBERATE ATTACK ON PEOPLE. EXPERTS THINK THE ORCAS MAY ACTUALLY BE TEACHING EACH OTHER HOW TO BREAK BOAT RUTTERS. >> WHEN THIS STARTED, IT WAS ONLY THREE OF THE ORCAS IN THIS SMALL POPULATION THAT HAD THIS PECULIAR BEHAVIOR. NOW MORE THAN HALF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE POPULATION IS DOING IT. >> Reporter: SPANISH MARITIME RESCUE NOW TELLING SAILORS TO STEER CLEAR OF THE AREA FROM APRIL TO AUGUST, STAY CLOSE TO THE COAST AND DON'T TRY TO HARM THE ANIMALS. >> SO, KELLY, WHAT DO EXPERTS THINK ABOUT WHY THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN THIS PARTICULAR REGION? >> Reporter: WELL, THEY'RE NOT COMPLETELY SURE. BUT MARINE BIOLOGISTS DO SAY THIS BEHAVIOR HAS ONLY BEEN SEEN IN THIS POD IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA, AND THE PODS OFTEN DEVELOP THEIR OWN UNUSUAL BEHAVIORS OR FADS AS THEY CALL THEM AND THEN DROP THEM JUST AS QUICKLY. THEY COMPARE THE BEHAVIOR TO A DOG PLAYING WITH A BALL. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THIS POD IS VERY INTERESTED IN PLAYING WITH BOAT RUTTERS FOR A FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW. NOW, THESE ANIMALS ARE PROTECTED, SO IT IS ILLEGAL TO HURT OR HARASS THEM. BUT IT'S BECOME SUCH AN ISSUE THAT THE SAILING INDUSTRY

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Id: cIjlYtSOJ24

Length: 3min 1sec (181 seconds)

Published: Wed May 15 2024