They are the apex predators of the seas. In their realm, the oceans of the world, they have no natural predators. They are highly evolved creatures, move in close social structures and are unmistakable due to the white spots behind their eyes and the high dorsal fin – the sword that gives them their name. Killer whales, also known as orcas, are social animals with a complex population structure. Within the families, certain hunting tactics and vocalizations can be passed on to young animals, which is sometimes regarded as a culture. Whether it is also part of this culture to teach the young techniques with which they can attack and destroy the rudders of sailboats is just one of many theories about a new phenomenon. Since the end of the first corona lockdown in May 2020, the subgroup of the Atlantic orca population has been interacting with sailboats in the Strait of Gibraltar and up into the Bay of Biscay. They follow the boats and attack the oars until they are destroyed. Researchers largely agree that the Gibraltar killer whales are under severe stress. The Strait of Gibraltar and the entire Iberian coast are heavily frequented by ships of all kinds, humans and animals compete for tuna, and noise pollution is high.

The film examines the various theories on this novel behavior and deals with the question of what to do when humans invade the habitats of animals and encounter other predators there.

A film by Anna Pflüger

A production by K22 on behalf of ZDF in cooperation with Arte

43 min | 2023