Most of us have only ever seen orcas on Blue Planet or in questionably small tanks in captivity, and although they’re cool to observe from afar, we probably wouldn’t like to come across one in the wild. Soon, however, Brits may not have the choice, as warming seas are encouraging orcas native to the Iberian peninsula to venture up into British waters.
With a nickname like ‘killer whales’, these huge fish are not exactly known for their friendliness and warmth. Confusingly, they are actually members of the dolphin family, meaning that they’re very smart and tend to travel in groups. Although orcas generally keep to themselves, they have been known to occasionally attack boats, which is exactly what happened to one unlucky pair of sailors off the coast of Spain last week.
Although the sailors were saved by the coastguard, their lucky-miss is a good reminder for anyone off on a boat in the near future to be aware of where they’re travelling; particularly as the sea-faring mammals have now made their way to Cornwall.
Last month, Iberian orcas were spotted near the Cornish Coast for the first time ever. This is the latest in a pattern of climate change-induced marine migration which is introducing new, diverse life into our waters. Sharks and rays are among the other animals that we might have to get used to in years to come – you can read more about that here.
Killer whales have been native to the North Sea near Shetland and Orkney for a long time, but they’ve never made it this far south before. It’s for that reason that experts are sending those about to set sail in potential orca waters a simple message: watch out.
For some reason unknown to scientists, killer whales grow disinterested in boats or swimmers once they stop moving. If you do happen to be out at sea and spot an orca, it’s recommended that you stop your engine, lower any flags, and generally try to be as still as possible. Think of it like a wasp, only about 100,000 times the size and way more capable of eating you. Some experts theorise that orcas only attack humans when they’re bored, and there’s nothing fun about easy prey, but we don’t know for sure why staying still works.
Other advice includes avoiding known hotspots entirely, and staying in shallow waters where you can. If you’re a swimmer on your own, you’re very unlikely to ever make it to somewhere deep enough to be in danger, but be aware if you’re on a paddle board to not go out too far.
In short, the best policy is to try and leave these marine beasts alone. If you mind your own business, they’ll almost certainly mind theirs too. Maybe they really will fit in in the UK after all.
Wild swimming, without the killer whales
Keen to get into the water without the potential of impending doom getting you down? Don’t worry, we’ve got lists of our favourite wild swimming locations in the UK and in London, a list of the country’s best beaches, and a guide to the very best spots for snorkelling if you want to catch some (friendly) marine life at home.
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