Meteorologia

  • 17 NOVEMBER 2024
Tempo
21º
MIN 14º MÁX 22º

'Moron': Man filmed leaping onto orca in New Zealand

The individual was identified and fined NZ$600 (around 338 euros).

Notícias ao Minuto

10:46 - 22/05/24 por Notícias ao Minuto

Mundo Nova Zelândia

A 50-year-old man has been filmed jumping from a recreational vessel into the water off Auckland's Devonport in what New Zealand authorities have deemed an attempt to touch or strike an orca.

In a video shared on Instagram in February and released by the Department of Conservation on Monday, the man can be seen leaping into the water where an orca and a calf are present, and attempting to "pat" or strike the bull orca.

At one point, the man can be heard exclaiming that he'd managed to touch the animal, a claim which is met with cheers from others on board the vessel.

"The footage has left us astounded. Not only does the man make an initial attempt to dive on the animal, he then remains in the water and swims back towards it in a second attempt to touch it. This is incredibly reckless behaviour that shows a shocking lack of respect for the orca's well-being. It's extremely lucky that no one was hurt," DOC's principal investigator Hayden Loper said in a statement.

He noted that "orca are immensely powerful animals" and the situation "could have ended very badly - with the whale spooked and injured or the man hurt by the agitated animal".

"This is a clear breach of the Marine Mammals Protection Act. Orca are classified as whales under the Conservation Act and it is an offence to swim with, disturb, or harass any marine mammal," he said.

Authorities became aware of the incident after receiving a complaint from a member of the public who had seen the footage on social media.

The man has since been identified and issued an infringement notice of $600.

See the footage in the gallery above.

Also read: Japan wants to expand commercial whaling (to a larger species) (Portuguese version)

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