Dear MARMAM subscribers and colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication as a note in Marine Mammal Science: Esteban, R., López, A., de los Rios, Á. G., Ferreira, M., Martinho, F., Méndez-Fernandeza, P., Andréu, E., García-Gómez, J. C., Olaya-Ponzone, L., Espada-Ruiz, R., Gil-Vera, F. J., Bernal, C. M., Garcia-Bellido Capdevila, E., Sequeira, M., & Martínez-Cedeira, J. A. (2022). Killer whales of the Strait of Gibraltar, an endangered subpopulation showing a disruptive behavior. Marine Mammal Science, 1– 11. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12947 ABSTRACT Several individuals of an endangered subpopulation of killer whales in the Iberian Peninsula started to show disruptive behaviour in 2020, interacting with boats. Most interactions involved sailing vessels but also fishing vessels, RHIBs and motorboats. Animals were reported and recorded bumping, pushing and rotating the boats. In some cases those interactions caused damage at the stern of the boat, mainly in their fragile mobbing parts.

From May to November, 49 interactions were recorded between the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and Galicia, including the coast along Portugal. Two interacting groups were identified, accounting for eight individuals in total, which at the beginning of the interactions were observed together in the Strait of Gibraltar. Some mitigation actions were implemented such as temporally forbidding the navigation of sailing vessels, when interactions intensified in Galicia, however further efforts and collaboration are needed to respond to this unprecedented situation.

Further information about the situation of these animals can be found at: https://www.orcaiberica.org/ All the best, Ruth Ruth Esteban, PhD. +34675837508 +351912847395 <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>