Spanish authorities investigate orca with pellet wounds in Gibraltar

Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco) has launched an investigation after an Iberian orca named Toñi was spotted with injuries in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar. The marks on the whale’s dorsal fin and back are reportedly consistent with shotgun pellet impacts.

The situation was brought to the attention of authorities on August 11 by the conservation organization WeWhale. Conservation groups, including the Iberian Orca Guardians, noted that the wounds appear to have occurred within the last few weeks, as they were not visible in previous photographs.

Toñi is recognized as the longest-living member of the orca population in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Gulf of Cádiz, a group classified as vulnerable under the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species. Under Spanish law, harming these animals can result in criminal liability and fines of up to 2 million euros. The Ministry’s General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests, and Desertification is leading the inquiry to determine the facts and identify potential perpetrators.