Gunman who shot Spain's oldest orca faces staggering €2MILLION fine

Spain's environment ministry formally referred the matter to prosecutors on September 2.

The 60-year-old matriarch's injuries were discovered by conservationists last month, prompting authorities to treat the case as an unprecedented instance of persecution against a protected species.

Sara Aagesen, the country's third deputy prime minister and minister for ecological transition, said: "The ministry will continue working to ensure that this damage to the environment does not go unpunished. We will also closely monitor the progress of the injuries."

The Guardia Civil's Central Environmental Operations Unit is now investigating a Spanish-flagged vessel that was reportedly spotted discharging shots in Portuguese waters.

Janek Andre, founder of WeWhale and co-founder of the Iberian Orca Guardians, whose team first flagged the incident, outlined several potential explanations for the shooting.

The likeliest scenario, according to Mr Andre, is that a sailor fired at Toñi either in retaliation or as a deterrent after the animal made physical contact with their vessel.

The gunman who shot Spain's oldest orca is now facing a staggering potential fine of up to €2million (£1.7million)

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Alternatively, fishermen may have targeted her to prevent her from raiding their catch.

A third possibility is that the shooter acted purely out of malice.

Toñi has been observed in recent days feeding with her pod off the coast of Galicia, and her wounds are reportedly healing well.

However, shotgun pellets remain embedded in her fin, creating a persistent danger of blood infection and potentially fatal sepsis.

A criminal investigation is underway after Toñi was found with multiple shotgun wounds peppered across her dorsal fin

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Her survival carries enormous significance for a population that has dwindled dramatically from between 60 and 70 individuals during the 1990s to a mere 27 today.

As the eldest of roughly seven or eight surviving matriarchs, Toñi guides her pod's movements and fulfils a crucial social function.

Mr Andre said: "As the oldest orca, she has the biggest influence in transmitting culture to the other females in the pod."

The shooting has added a violent new chapter to the ongoing saga of orca-boat interactions, which have escalated since 2020.

Over that period, the animals have repeatedly engaged with vessels, frequently damaging rudders, forcing boats to be towed, and on three occasions sinking them entirely.

Spain's environment ministry formally referred the matter to prosecutors on September 2

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Andre rejects the characterisation of these encounters as attacks, describing them instead as "social curious behaviour, playful behaviour."

Orcas routinely approach his research vessel, examining cameras and nudging them with their pectoral fins.

He said: "It's their home turf. We are in their living room."

For sailors wishing to steer clear of the animals, Mr Andre advises them to remain in shallow waters below 20 metres in depth, since orcas favour depths of 50 to 70 metres.

This approach has already contributed to fewer interactions this year.