In search of White Gladis, the orca that attacked near Gibraltar

The Sea Shepherd France team is patrolling the waters in search of White Gladis, the matriarch of the orcas, who is said to be leading her clan in a “fight” against humans in the Strait of Gibraltar that separates Europe from Africa (Morocco) and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and northwestern Spain.

Orca attacks around the Strait of Gibraltar that separates Europe from Africa and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and northwest Spain are recurrent. There have been nearly 700 interactions since orca attacks on ships in the region were first reported in May 2020, the Atlantic Killer Whale Task Force (ATWTF) said. According to experts, the group is about 15 individuals led by a female named White Gladis. Among these cetaceans, a matriarch known as White Gladis is said to be leading her clan in a “fight” against humans. It is believed to be revenge motivated by some kind of trauma suffered by Gladis. The Sea Shepherd France team is patrolling the waters looking for her. A team from the British newspaper The SUN joined this group, which is part of the Save the Iberian Orcas operation, in the port of Barbate, a small fishing village in Spain. Together, they arrived at the Andalusian port where Captain Thomas Le Coz welcomed them and introduced them to the crew of the Walrus, a ship moored in Barbate since April that carries out expeditions patrolling the waters almost daily.