DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Orcas sink sailing yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —An unknown number of orcas have sunk a sailing yacht after ramming it in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain’s maritime rescue service said on Monday, a new attack in what has become a trend in the past four years. The passengers reported feeling sudden blows to the hull and rudder before water started seeping into the ship. After alerting the rescue services, a nearby oil tanker took them onboard and transported them to Gibraltar. The incident is the latest example of recurring orca rammings around the Gibraltar Strait that separates Europe from Africa and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and northwestern Spain. Although known as killer whales, endangered orcas are part of the dolphin family.

Organizations: Reuters Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Cognac, Europe, Africa, Portugal, Spain

☆ Bukele Landslide Shifts El Salvador to One-Party State, Amplifies Democracy Fears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By Sarah Kinosian and Nelson RenteriaSAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - The landslide re-election of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele was cheered by supporters of his gang crackdown, but has worried opponents who fear the country is sliding into a de facto one-party state. El Salvador had "made history" for electing a single party "in a fully democratic system," he said. But rights groups said they are worried about where the country is headed and forecast further curbs on civil rights. They are just grateful he crushed the gang violence plaguing El Salvador for decades and that they can go outside after dark again. "Democratic spaces are closing in El Salvador, civil society is closing down and there is an environment of fear to speak out," said Claudia Ortiz, a lawmaker who has clashed with Bukele and ran for the upstart Vamos party.

Persons: Sarah Kinosian, Nelson, Nayib Bukele, Bukele, El Salvador, Gabriela Santos, State Anthony Blinken, Daniel Ortega, Gladis Munoz, Claudia Ortiz, Nelson Renteria, Drazen Jorgic, Christian Plumb, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: SALVADOR, Reuters, El Salvador, U.S, Human Rights, University of Central America, El, State, Bukele Locations: El Salvador, U.S, Central America, El, Nicaragua, Venezuela

☆ Sailors have created a shared heavy metal playlist on Spotify to blast at orcas threatening their boats
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sailors have been sharing a heavy metal Spotify playlist they made to deter orca attacks. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementSome sailors are beginning to take their ongoing battle against marauding orcas up a notch: blasting heavy metal music to try to scare away the marine mammals. Rutsch heard through the grapevine that blaring heavy metal music from underwater speakers might deter the apex predators — and the idea even came with a shared Spotify playlist, called 'Metal for Orcas,' specially curated by other sailors, The New York Times reported. Even if orcas did initially hate heavy metal, with their uncanny ability to communicate and adapt, they may have already gotten used to the rockin' tunes.

Persons: —, Florian Rutsch, Rutsch, White, orcas Organizations: Service, New York Times, Times Locations: Portugal, German, Spain, Gibraltar

☆ 9 orcas have died so far this year after they were trapped in fishery equipment off the coast of Alaska
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nine orcas have died after becoming entangled in fishing equipment off the Alaska coast this year. Only five orcas died from fishing equipment in the region between 2016 and 2020. From 2016 to 2020, meanwhile, just five orcas were caught and killed by fishing gear off the Alaska coast, NOAA reported. These orcas likely aren't members of the Southern Resident species, of which there were only 73 individuals left in 2022. Orcas made headlines throughout this summer, but for a very different reason: killer whales began ramming into boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal almost daily.

Persons: Hannah Myers, orcas, Orcas Organizations: Service, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Anchorage Daily, Southern Locations: Alaska, Wall, Silicon, Anchorage, Northern California , Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Spain, Portugal

☆ Meet the family of orcas thought to be behind the recent boat encounters and attacks — White Gladis' pod
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

White Gladis, the orca believed to be behind recent boat encounters, has a family acting with her. Meet White Gladis' familyWhite Gladis is part of a 6-orca pod including herself, two siblings, two calves, and a mother. She gave birth to White Gladis in 2005, who is her oldest offspring, followed by Gladis Clara and Gladis Dalila. White Gladis went on to give birth to Gladis Filabres in 2015 and Gladis Tarik in 2021. Gladis Clara, White Gladis' sibling, is a male orca, but the sex is unknown for Gladis Dalila and White Gladis' two offspring.

Persons: White Gladis, White, —, Gladis Blanca, Gladis Clara, Gladis, Gladis Filabres, Gladis Tarik, Gladis Lamari, hasn't, Gladis Dalila, Black, Gladis Peque, Gladis Isa, Gladis Matteo, Gray Gladis, Mónica, Kenneth C, Gladis Olvera Organizations: Service, Orca, Guardian, for Whale Research, Orca Working Locations: Gibraltar, Strait, Gibraltar White, orcas, Southern, Iberian

☆ White Gladis, the killer whale who could be behind orcas attacking boats, was pregnant when she started the 'uprising'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Scientists believe the orca White Gladis was pregnant when she started ramming into boats in 2020. White Gladis later gave birth to her calf in 2021, following a 16-18 month pregnancy. White Gladis is just one among many orcas in this apparent uprising. White Gladis first started ramming boats in the summer of 2020 and later gave birth to her calf in 2021, according to LiveScience. Many orca experts that Insider has spoken to maintain that White Gladis' behavior isn't rooted in trauma or revenge.

Persons: White Gladis, —, she's, Mónica González, Alfredo López Fernandez, LiveScience, Forbes, White, Renaud de Stephanis, Deborah Giles Organizations: Service, University of Aveiro, Orca Working, Orca, BBC Locations: Spain, Portugal

☆ There are 2 very different theories for why orcas are ramming into boats. Experts still can't agree on one.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The orcas may be protecting their young from boats, or they may think damaging rudders is fun. Experts have two very different theories for the behavior, and they still can't agree on which one is more likely. The orcas are trying to protect their youngA pod or orcas, or killer whales, with a baby orca among them. None of these techniques has been particularly effective, López told Insider. GTOA is consulting with the Portuguese government to try to develop "acoustic deterrents" that could keep the orcas away from the boats, López said.

Persons: —, van, van Beek, Van, Alfredo López Fernandez, GTOA, orcas Grey, White, López, LiveScience, Renaud de Stephanis, de Stephanis, Billie, António Bessa de Carvalho, Lopez Organizations: Service, JAJO, BBC, Grupo, National Association of Cruises, Apple Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Shetland, Scotland, Australia

☆ Why killer whales won’t stop ramming boats in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The reason why certain whales are taking such a forward interest in boats is still unclear, but experts have a couple of theories. A pod of killer whales (Orcinus orca) swims together in the Strait of Gibraltar in August. The encounter usually ends once the killer whales break the rudder or the boat comes to a complete stop. “The official recommendation is not to do anything at all, turn off the engine or lower the sails and be as uninteresting to the killer whales as possible. “But this very vulnerable little population of killer whales depends on our love for them.

Persons: Daniel Kriz, “, ”, Kriz, ” Kriz, Africa —, Skipper Daniel Kriz, Mónica, González, Champagne, ” González, Alfredo López Fernandez, López Fernandez, Gladis, Worryingly, we’ve, ” López Fernandez, Hanne Strager, Jorge Guerrero, it’s, Strager, ” Strager, “ I’ve, I’ve, “ they’ve, Don’t Organizations: CNN, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, International Union for, Nature, University of Aveiro, Getty Locations: Gibraltar, Europe, Africa, orcas, Strait, Spain, Portugal, Barbate, AFP, “, Pacific Northwest

☆ Orca attacks on boats appear to be 'leapfrogging' across oceans as a yacht is rammed by killer whale north of Scotland
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An orca repeatedly rammed a yacht in the Shetland Islands, a sailor told the Guardian. The attack follows a series of orca incidents around the Iberian peninsula. The 72-year-old Dutch physicist, an experienced sailor, said he had heard about orca incidents around Portugal, adding that he found the loud breathing of the orca the "most frightening." While many boat interactions with orcas in the area have been harmless, killer whales have increasingly rammed and even sank boats. The rising number of incidents has left researchers concerned for sailors' safety and the dwindling orca population around the Iberian peninsula.

Persons: —, Wim Rutten, Rutten, Dr, Conor Ryan, orcas, John Hargrove Organizations: Guardian, Service, Trust, SeaWorld Locations: Shetland, of Portugal, Spain, Lerwick, Scotland, Bergen, Norway, North, Portugal

☆ The Atlantic published a story describing killer whales as 'sadistic jerks.' The pro-orca internet was unamused.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Atlantic article published Saturday described orcas as "sadistic jerks" in nature. This is after a string of boat attacks involving orca whales off the coast of Spain and Portugal. Orcas off the coast of Spain and Portugal, potentially inspired by a female whale named White Gladis, are sinking ships and destroying vessels. One person pointed out that they were called killer whales for a reason. After a recent spike in orca-boat incidents off the southern European coast over the past few months, orca attacks on boats are happening daily and may continue to ramp up.

Persons: —, White Gladis, orcas, they've, Jacob Stern, They're, Whales, Philip Lewis, Laura Bassett, Jezebel, Stern Organizations: Service, Twitter Locations: Spain, Portugal

☆ Orca attacks on boats aren't out of revenge, killer whale experts say. They're just having fun.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"I certainly think orcas are capable of complex emotions," Monika Wieland Shields, director of the Orca Behavior Institute told Insider. And yet, these situations haven't resulted in wild orcas attacking boats, Shields said. Orcas in captivity have attacked and killed humans, but there are no records of orcas killing humans in the wild. The orcas are trying to playAccording to Shields, orcas' natural curiosity and playfulness are likely the cause for these encounters and not revenge. According to Trites, orcas might simply enjoy the sensation of ramming into boats.

Persons: —, they've, Andrew Trites, Sailor Werner Schaufelberger, orcas, Trites, White, Monika Wieland Shields, Suzanne Allee, Magnolia Pictures Shields, Shields, Orcas, that's, Hanne Strager, Strager Organizations: Service, Marine Mammal Research, University of British, Orca Behavior Institute, Magnolia Pictures Locations: Spain, Portugal, University of British Columbia, Canada, Blackfish, Washington

☆ A guy who started a website that tracks orca incidents with boats near Spain and Portugal said that encounters are at least every day now
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A man who has been tracking sightings and attacks said there's "one incident every day, on average." In some cases, there's been more than one reported attack in a single day in June, so far. The map shows 10 attacks since June 1 and an additional 12 orca sightings in the same time period. For example, on June 3, there were four identified orca attacks and on June 8, there were two. If you spread the word about something that happens in an area, people will avoid that area," Alves told PBS.

Persons: there's, —, Rui Alves, Alves, They've Organizations: Service, PBS Locations: Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Morocco

☆ Orcas were spotted swimming unusually close to Massachusetts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Rebecca Harrington | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two of the orcas shown swimming in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. A pod of orcas swims in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. A pod of orcas swims in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. A bottlenose dolphin swims in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. Mother and calf fin whales swim in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023.

Persons: Orcas, —, Katherine McKenna, Anderson, White, Insider's Kelsey Vlamis, Orla O'Brien Organizations: England Aquarium, Service, Privacy, New England Aquarium, Sunday, Anderson Cabot Center, Ocean, Aquarium Sailors, New England Locations: Nantucket, Spain, North, Nantucket , Massachusetts, New, Portugal

☆ Rare photos show a pod of orcas swimming 40 miles off the coast of Massachusetts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Rebecca Harrington | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

They said in a press release that it's "unusual" to see killer whales in the North Atlantic as their population is very small there. Two of the orcas shown swimming in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. A pod of orcas swims in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. A pod of orcas swims in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023. Mother and calf fin whales swim in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, on June 11, 2023.

☆ Footage shows an orca that appears to carry away a severed rudder after a pod of killer whales attacked a yacht off the coast of Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Footage shows an orca swimming off with a destroyed rudder after killer whales attacked a catamaran. The boat was sailing in the Strait of Gibraltar in April, an area where orcas have been targeting boats. Recently-posted footage appears to show one of the killer whales swimming off with one of the severed rudders. "We were about to cross shipping lines and turning south to the Canary Islands when we felt like we got bad with a wave," Kriz told Newsweek in a recent interview. Not again,'" Kriz told Newsweek.

Persons: —, Dan Kriz, Kriz, orcas, Maxi Jonas Orcas, Joshua Zitser Organizations: Newsweek, Service, REUTERS Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Canary, Florida

☆ A ship captain attacked by an orca is worried boaters are going to start shooting killer whales
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Paul Squire | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

But one ship captain said killer whales have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them. The captain told Newsweek he's worried boaters will start shooting orcas out of fear. "I am very concerned about the near future for these beasts and I think we have a huge responsibility to protect these animals," Sébastien Destremau told Newsweek. "They could crush the boat in a heartbeat if they wanted to," he told Newsweek. "The shocks were really hard and really strong, they were really going for it," he told Newsweek.

Persons: Orcas, —, he's, Sébastien Destremau, Destremau, White Gladis, they're, haven't Organizations: Newsweek, Service Locations: Spain

☆ Researchers think other orcas are imitating a single killer whale that first started targeting boats, leading some to sink
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Killer whales near the Iberian peninsula are colliding with, and sinking, boats. Researchers think they may be imitating the behavior of a single female named White Gladis. In these encounters, the orcas' behavior generally follows the same pattern: approaching the back of the ship and hitting the rudder until successfully causing the boat to stop. They keep apart," Trites said, noting that orca populations represent different ecotypes that eat different foods and display different behaviors. Or, Trites said, the killer whales might just get bored with the boats and stop taking part.

☆ Orcas ram and severely damage another boat. But a sailor onboard says stop 'demonizing' the 'beautiful creatures.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A pod of orcas rammed a yacht off the Spanish coast, destroying the rudder and piercing the hull. The crew was forced to make a Mayday call for assistance when the boat began to fill with water. Earlier this week, a pod of orcas rammed into the Mustique, destroying the yacht's rudder and piercing the hull. In an Instagram post on Saturday, Boyes added that interactions with orcas can be "quite terrifying." Boyes urged that more research into the "beautiful creatures" needs to be done, especially as the attacks are increasingly common.

☆ Killer whales near Spain have sunk 3 sailboats. A lonely orca named Luna who got separated from his family 20 years ago also damaged boats — but scientists say he just wanted to play.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Killer whales near Spain and Portugal have sunk three sailboats in recent years. An orca name Luna that was damaging boats near Vancouver Island in the 2000s just wanted to play. A population of killer whales near Portugal and Spain's Iberian Peninsula first began having "disruptive" interactions with boats in 2020. However, the encounters reminded him of a young male orca named Luna that engaged in similar behavior with boats around 20 years ago. "Being a social animal, he got very lonely and became quite attached to boats," Trites said.

☆ A female orca traumatized by a previous encounter with humans may be behind mounting killer whale attacks on boats, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A traumatized female orca could be behind the increased killer whale attacks on boats. A traumatic event may have triggered a change in White Gladis' behavior, experts told LiveScience. While most orca interactions with boats are harmless, there has been a spike in aggressive behavior towards boats since 2020, biologist Alfredo López Fernandez told LiveScience. Janet Morris and Stephen Bidwell were on an already-bumpy ride when the crew spotted the killer whales on May 2 in the Strait of Gibraltar. as a pod of killer whales began banging into their 46-foot boat, per The Times.

Search resuls for: "Gladis"

20 mentions found