CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED AFTER ORCA TONI WAS SHOT

MADRID, SEPTEMBER 7 /SRNA/ - Spanish authorities have launched a criminal investigation after the 60-year-old orca Toni was shot, treating the incident as an unprecedented case of persecution of a protected species.

Spain's Ministry for the Ecological Transition has officially referred the case to the prosecutor's office, and those responsible could face an administrative fine of up to two million euros, The Times reported.

Toni is the oldest female orca in Iberian waters, and conservation activists spotted multiple shotgun pellet wounds on her in August.

The Civil Guard's Central Environmental Operations Unit is investigating a Spanish-flagged vessel suspected of having fired the shots in Portuguese territorial waters.

Janek Andre, founder of the "We Whale" organization and co-founder of the "Iberian Orca Guardians" association, whose team reported the incident, said that it was most likely one of the sailors who shot at the orca either out of revenge or in an attempt to deter it after it came into physical contact with their vessel.

Since 2020, orcas have repeatedly approached vessels, often damaging their rudders, leaving many boats in need of towing, while three vessels have sunk in separate incidents.

Andre said that these incidents are not aggressive attacks, but rather a form of play, learning and interaction.

Orcas prefer depths of 50 to 70 meters, while sailing close to the shore in waters less than 20 meters deep reduces the risk of contact. The Iberian orca subpopulation numbers fewer than 40 animals.

Although they are known as killer whales, orcas are part of the dolphin family and can grow up to eight meters long and weigh up to six tonnes