Reports of orcas ramming and damaging leisure boats off Spain and Portugal have sparked global fascination and alarm. While some incidents have led to vessels being towed back to port, researchers increasingly believe the behaviour is not aggression but a form of play or social learning within a small group of Iberian orcas.

Since 2020, dozens of interactions have been reported, often involving orcas approaching sailboats and striking their rudders. In some cases, boats were immobilised or damaged, but there have been no recorded human injuries. Most events occurred off the Iberian Peninsula, involving a pod of fewer than 20 whales.

A cultural fad?

Experts from the Atlantic Orca Working Group and other organisations suggest that the ramming may be a cultural trend — similar to those seen in primates or birds. One theory is that the behaviour began after an orca had a traumatic encounter with a vessel. However, researchers now believe that the pattern resembles play or social bonding more than a defensive response. “They may be doing it because it’s fun,” one scientist told National Geographic.

Playful learning

The orcas’ interactions focus on rudders, a part of the boat that moves and offers tactile feedback. Researchers compare it to children finding fascination in spinning wheels. Cultural transmission among orcas is well documented, and behaviours can spread quickly through pods before fading away.

While most encounters end without major damage being caused, this trend poses risks to both boats and whales. Authorities in Spain and Portugal have issued guidelines, urging sailors to avoid interfering with orcas and to report incidents. Scientists say the behaviour highlights the species' intelligence, curiosity and capacity for cultural play, even when it collides with human activity.