Photo: Screenshot / BBC
- The sperm whale pirates
- The giant robbers are smart
- The best known sperm whale gang: The Bad Boys
The sperm whale pirates
Attention: In the oceans are huge robber gangs on the way! In fact, more and more sperm whales attack the fishing boats and make use of their nets.
Why hunt by yourself, if you can save the effort? More and more sperm whales have come to this realization since the 90s. The huge sea creatures have discovered a new supermarket that is much easier to shop than the depths of the sea. Instead of hunting, the whales become comfortable and criminal!
In fact, more and more sperm whale gangs are sighted off the coasts of Alaska, going on a rampage together. Their destination: fishing boats. The sperm whales use the fish traps of humans and make their way over the nets in the water. The problem: the fishermen go out empty. The damage is now even estimated at several hundred thousand euros per year!
The giant robbers are smart
Sperm whales are considered extremely intelligent. The sea giants are under protection of species after being hunted by humans for a long time. Now turn the tables and steal the fishermen their prey. For several years whale gang lurked the fishing boats. It is striking that the robbers are getting better. They always seem to optimize their strategies and group together to steal as efficiently as possible. The fishermen are helpless against the biggest predator in the world. 2014 saw more losses than ever before.
The best known sperm whale gang: The Bad Boys
But the huge robbers do not go unnoticed. The "South East Alaskan Sperm Whale Avoidance Project", or "Seaswap", is the result of raids on fishing boats. This is no joke: in fact, the raids are a major problem for the fishermen dar. Since 2009, the organization is trying to explore the strategies of the giant predators, which attack the boats mostly in sperm whale groups.
One of the most famous sperm whale gangs are the so-called "Bad Boys", consisting of ten whales, which are spotted again and again. These should now be equipped with chips. This way, fishing boats can spot the huge robbers in time on the monitor and change their route. We are curious to see whether the raids can be put to an end and how long the Bad Boys are still doing their mischief as huge robbers of the seas.
