Save the Iberian Orca - they need our help!

The Iberian Orca needs our help

Beginning in 2020, the Iberian Orca, a subpopulation of Orcas (Orcinus orca), which is critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List (only approx. 35-40 individuals are left), began interacting with boats and ramming/playing with their rudders in waters off the Iberian Peninsula.

These animals live from early spring until the end of October in the Strait of Gibraltar where they follow the seasonal migration of the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), their primary food source.

Over 500 reported interactions have been reported from 2020 to 2023.

These interactions have led to a huge debate of how to handle this topic and why the animals are doing this.

As the Iberian Orca is already facing many challenges such as maritime traffic, noise pollution, chemical pollution, industrial & military effluents and aggressions from local fishermen towards the animals, now they also face aggressions and attacks from recreational boaters.

In August 2023, it was documented that a recreational boating crew has shot the animals as there were approaching the vessel. The organisation WeWhale, along with the World Cetacean Alliance and Sea Shepherd France, charged files against the captain and boat owner to set an example that attacks towards those animals cannot be tolerated. This case is currently making its way through the Spanish court system.

As a result of the lately aggressions from some of those recreational boaters it is expected that the future situation of those animals is highly threatened and in danger.

2024, 2025 and 2026 will be crucial years to guarantee the survival of the Iberian Orca subpopulation.

Our approach:

A sea-based team will be on patrol five days a week, surveying the orca population, preventing attacks on the orca from boaters, and helping to avoid possible interactions between boats and orca. This work is being supported by Sea Shepherd France.

At the same time, a land-based crew will observe and monitor the orca population from strategic coastal locations.

Donations to the GoFundMe 2024 campaign will directly fund equipment and resources for the surveillance teams, research and analysis to better understand orca behaviour and interactions, and advocacy efforts to raise awareness and enforce protections for the Iberian Orca.

The complete budget need for the 2024 campaign is

Eur 75,500 - you can find the detailed funding needs in the following list:

Support the campaign and donate for the protection of these majestic animals - IF WE DON'T ACT, WE WILL LOSE THEM.

For donations over €50, an Iberian Orca postcard will be sent to donors.

The Iberian Orca illustration and the postcard are designed by ocean artist Rachel Brooks.

The apparel collection of the Iberian Orca you can now also shop under https://wewhale.co/shop/ (100% profits go to the campaign!)

We will post continuous updates on GoFundMe to let you know about the latest developments of the campaign.

Thank you for your support to help these majestic animals and it would be great if you could also share the campaign!

You can also follow our dedicated website (in English and Spanish) under https://save-the-iberian-orca.org/ for more information.