Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into the suspected shooting of one of the world's oldest known orcas after conservationists discovered what appear to be bullet wounds on her body near the Strait of Gibraltar.
The orca, known as Toni and nicknamed "the grandmother," is estimated to be approximately 60 years old and is considered the oldest known member of the Iberian orca population, a group that inhabits waters around the Iberian Peninsula. She was recently observed with several fresh wounds on her dorsal fin and back that were not visible in photographs taken just weeks earlier.
According to the conservation organization WeWhale, its team identified roughly ten suspicious puncture marks on the left side of the orca's dorsal fin. At least two or three projectiles appear to have penetrated completely through the fin, the group estimates. While Spanish authorities emphasize that it has not been definitively established that the orca was shot, the wounds are consistent with possible shotgun pellet injuries.
"We know Toni. We were with her a few weeks ago and these wounds were not there," said Renaud André, founder of WeWhale. He added that if it is confirmed someone deliberately shot her, it would constitute "an act of extreme cruelty" and an attack on one of the last remaining members of an endangered population.
Despite her injuries, Toni currently appears to be swimming and hunting normally. Conservation teams will continue monitoring her condition due to concerns about potential infection or tissue damage. Authorities have not yet announced any suspects in the case, and the investigation remains ongoing.
