New Zealand Man Sparks Outrage After Leaping From Boat Onto Killer Whale
A New Zealand man is making waves for jumping from a boat and 'body slamming' a killer whale. Daily Mail shared the video on Tuesday, May 21st, and it's leaving people outraged over the man's reckless disregard of the safety of the Orca and those in the boat.
The video starts with the man leaping off the side of the boat, directly onto the back of the killer whale. He then swims back to the boat and his friends try to assist him out of the water. Watch as the whale comes back and circles around him.
What is wrong with people? This is a full-grown 50-year-old man acting like a teenager and not thinking about the consequences of his actions. Daily Mail explained in the caption that he was only fined $600 - it doesn't seem like a big enough punishment! Although the killer whale is much larger than him, I feel like this is animal cruelty or animal abuse. He should be ashamed of himself!
Daily Mail fans had a lot to say about the outrageous video. @Juniper <3 got more than 1,600 likes when they said, 'If that Orca did attack, I would not feel bad" and @Gus added, "Oh how I want that Orca to sink their boat." Same here! @Anthony was appalled by the fine, "Fined only $600?!!???" @t_mill55 made me laugh when they pointed out, "Be a shame if the whale decided to treat him like a seal and tail smack him 50 feet in the air."
Related: Orca's 'Conversation' with Woman on Boat Has TikTok Having a Field Day
Facts About Killer Whales
Orcas, AKA 'killer whales', are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the sea life food chain. They have no natural predators (other than humans) and are skilled hunters. Orcas eat a variety of sea life, including fish, seals, dolphins, sharks, rays, whales, octopuses and squids.
Orcas can travel in pods of up to 50 whales! They travel, hunt, and even play together. When whale calves grow up, they stay within the same pod. Interestingly, you can find pods containing four generations of the same family. The eldest female orca is in charge, telling the group when and where to feed.
Believe it or not, these killer whales are not whales at all; they are actually the largest members of the dolphin family. Male orcas are larger than female orcas and can weigh over 12,000 pounds and grow up to 32 feet long. Those are big dolphins!
Sadly, there are only an estimated 50,000 Orcas left in our oceans. Orcas are threatened by chemical pollution, noise pollution (which can disrupt their feeding), fishing lines, climate change and accidental stranding. While they are not currently under endangered status, conservation efforts continue to protect and preserve these beautiful marine mammals and their habitats.
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