Credits: ABC portal.
Diego Escalona Agurto, Journalist UACh.- Although it is associated with the name Orca Gladys, it is a group of cetaceans, the most adult known as White Gladys and juveniles -among other names- as Gray, Black and Small Gladys, from at least two families of about 15 specimens, which They have damaged boats, even causing three shipwrecks, one of the strategies being to bite the rudder. Data that is added to those delivered at the beginning of the month by the organization Orca Atlántica, which indicates that interactions in the Strait of Gibraltar have increased, registering 53 so far this year; 12 with damage to ships.
Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete, co-founder of the Blue Whale Center, UACh Alumni, academic and PhD in Sciences with a Mention in Systematics and Ecology from the Austral University of Chile, warned that one must have respect when referring to these animals and investigate to find out the true Causes. “Orcas are amazing, they have an intense relationship with life. It can be seen that when a calf dies, the mother orca carries it on her face to try to make it breathe for even three weeks, it is her way of mourning. It is also amazing how they communicate and learn, which changes according to the different groups”, Hucke-Gaete stressed.
Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete, co-founder of the Blue Whale Center, Alumni UACh, academic and PhD in Sciences mention Systematics and Ecology.
Regarding the episodes that occurred on the Spanish coast, he maintained that “the important thing is that more investigations are carried out to determine what happens to prevent damage. A priori, it could be a traumatic event that happened to Gladys and that the younger ones would be getting involved with these behaviors as a learning game”.
No attack log
In Chile, orcas are distributed throughout the oceanic territory, which can weigh five tons and measure up to nine meters long. This is indicated by Dr. Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete, who is categorical in pointing out that “there is no record of attacks on people. Yes, there is evidence of coexistence, of their intelligence and curiosity, ”he pointed out.
The artisanal fisherman, Marcelo Flores, from Isla del Rey indicates that it is common to see orcas on the Valdivian coast.
The same qualities highlighted by Marcelo Flores (53), an artisanal fisherman from Isla del Rey, who has dedicated himself to the industry for 36 years. “This year the first sighting of orcas was in February and now a couple of weeks ago arriving in Mehuín, working on sardines as a purse seiner,” he said.
“Generally I have seen them teaching the pups to hunt when they are with the family and it happens that when the sea lions are out they disappear, or they are playing. They appear here even when the boats are fishing in the mountains and they have never attacked anyone or boats. It is common to see them, ”he added.
“I don’t know what could be happening to them in Spain. It surprises me because they are very curious, intelligent animals, for example, in cod in industrial fishing, as the fishing goes up they eat right there,” said Flores, who also has experience in industrial fishing in Chile and abroad. .
