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Over the past couple of years, there’s been a rise in Orcas Behaving Badly off the coast of Europe and Africa thanks to killer whales that seemingly have a vendetta against the boats that roam those waters. Now, some people traveling in those areas are resorting to some unconventional strategies to try to ward off attacks—including harnessing a curated playlist of heavy metal music.
While the species commonly referred to as killer whales earned that moniker for a reason, humans don’t usually have to be too worried about ending up in the crosshairs of orcas who usually prefer to target seals, squids, fish, and other forms of aquatic prey.
However, that’s no longer the case if you find yourself in a boat in the vicinity of the Strait of Gibraltar and other areas surrounding the Iberian Peninsula.
Experts aren’t entirely sure why the apex predators have started to target boats in the region, but some marine biologists believe an orca known as “White Gladis” taught members of her highly intelligent species how to exact some revenge after she was involved in a collision with a vessel a few years back.
Even though the onus for the attacks remains unclear, one thing is for certain: there’s been a spike in the number of yachts, sailboats, and other watercraft that have been disabled and even sunk after attracting the attention of orcas who’ve subjected them to lengthy assaults.
According to The New York Times, some boaters who’ve made their way into that particular danger zone have turned to the internet to trade tricks and tips for dissuading the whales.
That includes the captain of a catamaran that started blaring a Spotify playlist dubbed “Metal For Orcas” underwater during an attack, although it failed to stop them from damaging the ship’s rudder to the point where it had to be towed back to shore.
Other strategies—including painting the hull lighter colors or throwing sand overboard when the orcas arrive—also seem to leave a bit to be desired, as the outlet spoke with experts who said your best bet is to take a page out of the Monthy Python and the Holy Grail playbook and simply run away.