Spanish authorities opened a preliminary investigation after conservationists reported that Toñi, the oldest known Iberian orca, surfaced in the Strait of Gibraltar with fresh marks officials said were compatible with shotgun pellets.
The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) said it learned of the injuries on Aug. 11 from marine conservation group WeWhale and opened investigative proceedings the next day. MITECO described the marks as “compatible with possible pellet shots,” the ministry said.
WeWhale and the Iberian Orca Guardians said their teams counted roughly 10 apparent pellet impacts on the left side of Toñi’s dorsal fin. The groups said at least two or three projectiles appear to have passed through the fin and that others may still be lodged inside. Spanish officials have not concluded that the animal was shot, according to MITECO.
At an estimated 60 years old, Toñi — also called “La Abuela” — is the oldest known member of the Iberian orca population. WeWhale said the fin has a rich blood supply and helps regulate body temperature, raising concern that the wounds could cause tissue damage, swelling or infection if pellets remain embedded. The group said Toñi appears to be swimming and hunting normally and that it will continue to monitor her.
Janek Andre, founder and president of WeWhale and the Iberian Orca Guardians Foundation, said, “We know Toñi. We were with her a few weeks ago and these wounds were not there.” He added, “If someone has deliberately fired a shotgun at her, this is not only an act of extreme cruelty against an individual animal. It is an attack on one of the last remaining members of a critically endangered population.”
MITECO said Spain prohibits killing, capturing, pursuing or disturbing protected species and that violations can carry penalties up to 2 million euros (about $2.3 million) and potential criminal liability. The ministry’s General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification is handling the inquiry. Authorities have not identified a suspect.
Conservation groups noted the report comes amid years of documented interactions between Iberian orcas and vessels since 2020. Spanish authorities have issued guidance advising sailors not to use deterrent measures that could kill, injure or disturb the cetaceans. WeWhale said it is preserving photographs and observational records as the government investigation proceeds and urged that shooting the animals is never an acceptable response to vessel interactions.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
