'Stupid and reckless man' filmed attempting to 'body slam' killer whale

22 May 2024 , 16:03

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A man jumping into the sea on top of the whale (Image: New Zealand Department of Conservation)

A bloke has been labelled 'daft' and 'reckless' after being caught on camera attempting to 'body slam' a killer whale.

The video shows a man, clad only in shorts, leaping from a boat into the water. He lands either directly on, or extremely close to, a pair of orcas circling below. The footage of the incident, which took place in February, was shared by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

The man remains in the water for a while, swimming with the creatures, before asking if his antics were successfully filmed. The incident occurred off the coast of Devonport, a suburb of Auckland, where an adult male orca and its calf were spotted nearby. A member of the public reported the footage and a 50 year old bloke was hit with a NZ$600 (£287.99) fine, reports Cornwall Live.

The Instagram post read: "A man who leapt from a boat into the water near two orca has been slapped with a $600 infringement. The incident showed a shocking and stupid attitude to protected marine mammals. The video shared to Instagram in February, shows the man jump from a boat into the sea off the coast of Devonport in what appears to be a deliberate effort to touch or "body slam" the orca.

"The man showed reckless disregard for his own safety and that of the adult male orca with a calf swimming near the vessel. We were subsequently tipped off to this video by a member of the public. We would like to thank those who continue to alert us to potential breaches of New Zealand's wildlife laws."

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Principal investigation officer Hayden Loper condemned the actions, saying: "This is stupid behaviour and demonstrates a shocking disregard for the welfare of the orca. It is extremely irresponsible. Orca are immensely powerful animals, and this really could have ended horribly - with either the startled whale being injured, or the man responsible being harmed by the aggravated animal."

Experts at Whale and Dolphin Conservation highlight that orcas, also known as killer whales, are part of the marine mammal group. They fall under the sub-order of toothed whales, odontocetes, but are also recognized as the largest members of the dolphin family.

Orcas are found in all of the world's oceans, making them the most widely distributed among whales and dolphins. A fully grown male orca can measure close to 10 metres, tip the scales at 10,000kg, and swim at speeds reaching 54kph (33.5mph).

Rom Preston-Ellis