Beluga whale

• Off the coast of Spain and Portugal, killer whales have been biting boats.
• And the famous beluga whale nicknamed “Hvaldimir” has popped up again – this time in Sweden.
• When first spotted in Norway in 2019, wearing a suspicious harness, some suggested he could be a Russian spy.

Iberian killers targeting boats

In southwestern Europe, several killer whales from a critically endangered sub-population off the Iberian coast have been targeting vessels for the past two years. Mariners have filmed killer whales biting rudders, causing steering wheels to violently move from side to side. In extreme cases, the killer whales have broken rudders, created holes in boats and sunk at least three vessels, forcing sailors to seek maritime assistance.

A friendly ‘Russian spy’ in Swedish waters

• Hvaldimir the beluga whale came to fame in 2019 when he turned up in Norwegian waters wearing a harness labelled “Equipment St. Petersburg”.
• So Hvaldimir must have been taught to do that, just as you teach a dog to wear a collar.
• After four years off the coast of Norway, Hvaldimir travelled into Swedish waters.
• There might also be less fish for him to eat in comparison to Norwegian waters.

Understanding this behaviour

• One is that a matriarch killer whale known as White Gladis may have had a negative interaction with a boat and begun biting back at them, prompting others to copy her behaviour.
• When the rudder moves from side to side it makes a sound, much like a noisy dog toy or baby toy.
• Recent reports from people monitoring this behaviour have said the killer whales became disinterested and left soon after they broke off boat rudders.
• And what about Hvaldimir’s behaviour?

What’s the solution?

• The Atlantic Orca Working Group continues to investigate this “disruptive” whale activity.
• It’s a collaborative effort with the Iberian maritime community, marine mammal experts, various organisations and the public.
• Other “rescued” captive whales could also be placed there, with the potential for later release back to the wild.
• Hvaldimir will continue to require human assistance, regardless of whether he remains wild or moves into a captive environment.
• If he’s taken into human care, he will be removed from the general public but will require food from humans.

There’s no silver bullet

• Collaborative management involving the maritime community, scientists and the general public is key to protecting these marine mammals.
• No doubt lessons will be learnt from the management of both situations and possibly adapted to managing future interactions between wildlife and humans.