Who shot Toñi? The oldest orca in the Iberian population, injured by ten shots to the fin

BarcelonaLa Toñi, the oldest orca in the Iberian population and matriarch of a group of specimens known as Gladis, has appeared with ten pellet impacts on her dorsal fin, some still lodged in her body. A scientific team detected the wounds on Monday, when they spotted the animal in the Strait of Gibraltar, after two years without seeing her in the area.

The Ministry for Ecological Transition has opened an investigation to clarify what happened and has contacted the Portuguese authorities. For the moment, however, it is not known who, where, or when she was shot. Janek Andre, founder and president of WeWhale Association and Iberian Orca Guardians, explained to ARA that the shots could have occurred either in Portugal, Galicia, or at some point on the journey south, but that pointing to a specific location would be speculative: "It is not known exactly, it could be in Galicia or also on the way from Portugal to Cadiz. It could be in Huelva too. It would be very speculative to say the exact location".

"Could end up dying"

Also known as the grandmother, the orca is 60 years old and is the mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother of several of the Gladis orcas that have been interacting with boats since 2022. Although researchers have observed that she continues to hunt and feed normally, some of the pellets remain lodged in her fin and could cause her problems, and even put her life at risk. As Andre explains to ARA, the dorsal fin is a particularly sensitive area with many blood vessels, and remnants of ammunition have been detected there. "They can cause an infection and, in the worst case, could lead to sepsis," he explains. The researcher assures that the orca continues to feed, but that she has been observed resting more than usual.

Matriarch

Toñi is one of the matriarchs of the group and plays an important role in the transmission of behaviors among the specimens. "She leads the group in hunting, feeding, culture, and language," explains Andre. Her disappearance would be especially serious for a male that Toñi had adopted after losing his mother. "Right now he would also lose his adoptive mother. It would be a disaster for him," he points out.

The population of Iberian orcas consists of between 30 and 40 individuals, according to scientific estimates, and is critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Since 2022, the Gladis have been protagonizing interactions with sailboats, especially in the Strait of Gibraltar and on the Atlantic coast of the Peninsula. Experts believe the behavior is more a response to play or curiosity than a desire to attack, although in some cases it has caused significant damage to boats.

Toñi herself began to join these interactions about a year ago, although scientists do not know why. Andre rejects that the attacks can be justified by these episodes and insists that it is not known what motivated them. "What we need to resolve these issues is protection," he defends. His organization participates in a campaign authorized by the ministry to study the Iberian orca population, their behavior, and their interactions with boats.