Man fined for ‘shocking and stupid’ behavior with orcas

A New Zealander is lucky his “stupid and shocking” behavior in the presence of two orcas did not immediately shed light on why they are also called killer whales, authorities say. The 50-year-old was fined 600 New Zealand dollars (about $367) for a video posted on Instagram that showed him jumping from a boat in an apparent attempt to hit an adult male orca swimming near ‘a calf, reports CBS News. He could be heard shouting, “I touched him” as people on the boat laughed.

“The video really stunned us,” said Hayden Loper, an investigator with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. “In addition to the first attempt to dive on the animal, the man remained in the water and then swam towards it again during a second attempt to touch it.” He added: “This is stupid behavior that demonstrates a shocking disregard for the welfare of the orca. It is extremely irresponsible. Orcas are immensely powerful animals, and this truly could have ended horribly, either with the surprised wounded whale, or with the man”. responsible for having been injured by the aggravated animal.

Authorities said the man was identified after a member of the public told the conservation department about the video. With a population of only 150 to 200 individuals in New Zealand, the orcas are considered “nationally critical,” according to the Guardian reports. Hannah Hendriks, the department’s marine technical advisor, said interacting with orca pods can disrupt “natural behaviors,” including feeding and socializing. “In particular, disruption of a pod with a calf poses a risk of separation of the calf from the rest of the pod – if the calf is still dependent on its mother for milk, this can result in the calf starving to death, washes ashore and ultimately dies,” she said. (More orca stories.)