Since the orca Toñi, the oldest matriarch of the orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar, aged 60, with pellet gunshot marks on her dorsal fin, was sighted on August 10, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition has kept an investigation open. The initial inquiries “indicate that the events occurred in Portuguese jurisdiction waters by a vessel flying the Spanish flag,” ministry sources state. Toñi, also known as The Grandmother, is not just any orca; she is the leader of one of the groups of the Iberian orca population and the bearer of the wisdom accumulated over her decades of life, which she passes on to the rest of her companions. Some of them are part of those known as gladis, the individuals that approach boats, physically interact with them, and in some cases, cause their sinking. This behavior has sparked great controversy.
Read more Trump announces 50% tariffs on vehicles and steel from Canada starting January 1, 2027
This year, Toñi herself has begun to engage in such interactions, including physical contact with boats. Scientists still do not know what led these orcas to adopt this behavior, the origin of which remains under study.
For now, Toñi remains well despite the approximately 10 impacts she received, some of which are suspected to still be lodged in the fin. Janek Andre, president of the association We Whale/Iberian Orca Guardians, clarifies that “she was seen last week in the Algarve (Portugal) along with Pingu (her adoptive son) and Scarlet (another female who lost her mother), who recently gave birth to a calf. Scientists feared that the wounds could cause some infection, since at her age the immune system is not as strong as that of younger individuals.”
When Toñi was detected injured in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar, she had just arrived from Galicia after traveling the Portuguese coast with Pingu and Scarlet. They had been sighted in Faro (Portugal). At that time, Toñi showed no wounds, so investigators consider the possibility that the shots were fired at some point between Faro and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Read more Sánchez convenes the National Security Council 26 days after the outbreak of the Ceuta crisis
The Iberian orca population is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as vulnerable in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species. Their number keeps decreasing, experts warn. André points out that in the latest count only 27 individuals have been detected, so it is important to reduce the pressure on them. Behind the shootings may lie the conflict between orcas and boats, but “shooting at them can never be an acceptable response,” the researcher states.
The ministry warns, at the same time, that the investigation is still in the preliminary action phase, “so a definitive conclusion about the authorship of the events cannot yet be established.” The inquiries, which include taking statements from different people, are carried out by the Directorate General of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification and are being developed together with Portuguese authorities. Once completed, it will be assessed whether to refer the case to the Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard (Seprona) and the Prosecutor’s Office.
Read more Renfe increases frequencies on three Cercanías lines in Valencia starting September