How to Survive a Killer Whale

4 min read

Your day at a marine park went terribly wrong.You got so excited that you didn’t watch your step and fell into a tank filled with 9 m (29 ft) killer whales. Now, one’s dragging you to the bottom of the tank, and you’re about to discover why even great white sharks are afraid of them.

Orcas, also known as killer whales, are enormous animals. The largest orca on record was 9.8 m (32 ft) long and weighed 10 tonnes (22,050 lb). Once these tremendous hunters see their prey, it’s game on. Their sharp teeth can pierce through seals, giant squids and great white sharks.

Captive killer whales can be even more dangerous. The stress of being held in such small pools can trigger extremely hostile behavior towards humans. Tilikum, a male whale, was caught in the wild at two years old and eventually sold to SeaWorld. He had a psychosis that made him aggressive and killed three people during his life at SeaWorld. Why shouldn’t you take your dog on a boat? How could having short hair save your life? Why is an orca even more dangerous after it dies?

Step 1. Just say no

Orcas are particularly intelligent creatures. In captivity, they observe human behaviors and responses. They learn which actions result in negative human responses and avoid repeating them in future interactions. These mammals often test how hard they can bite you. They’ll bite harder than usual and see how you react. It is important to respond clearly and firmly. Establish your boundaries with the whale. Let it know if a behavior isn’t OK, and you just might be spared.

Step 2. Cut your hair

In 2010, Dawn Brancheau was a highly experienced trainer of killer whales. But she was one of Tilikum’s victims.
While she was giving a talk to a group of visitors, Tilikum leaped out of the water, grabbed her with his jaws and dragged the trainer underwater. Brancheau had particularly long hair, as she had been growing it to help make wigs for cancer patients. Unfortunately, her long hair became a toy for the killer whale. He kept pulling on it and dragged her to the bottom of the pool until she drowned.

Step 3. Turn the motor off

In the wild, orcas have attacked boats. In September 2021, rogue orcas appeared to be targeting fishing boats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. More than 40 incidents were reported to the authorities. David Smith, a skipper on one boat, thought that dolphins were following them. But when he felt the animals ram the underside of the yacht, he realized they were dealing with something bigger. It was a group of about seven killer whales attacking the boat.

The yacht was about 13.7 m (45 ft) long. Smith saw one whale disappear under the vessel. Then the crew heard a thumping noise from the hull. Smith feared that the boat could suffer a damaged rudder. Eventually, they turned off the motor to seem less interesting to the orcas. That made the marine hunters give up.

Step 4. Avoid dead whales

Killer whales can be just as deadly after they die. If you’re enjoying a walk on a beach and see a dead whale washed up on the shore, you might want to investigate it. But that might be the worst, and the last, idea you’d ever have. When bacteria break down, it can make gases that build up inside the whale’s body. And if something punctures that body, the gases can cause it to explode.

Step 5. Leave your dog at home

When taking a boat trip on the sea, it might be best to leave your pet at home. If you do bring it, keep it quiet.
A dog’s barking could trigger an orca’s instinct to hunt, as they can confuse the sound with calls from one of their favorite food, seals.

I’m impressed. You just survived a killer whale. Hopefully, you’ll be more careful of where you go swimming, or you could end up inside a whale. Would you know how to get out alive? Find out here on How to Survive.