VIDEO: KILLER WHALE GOES AFTER HUMANS
So that Netflix documentary probably just taught you that Orcas only kill humans when entrapped in captivity.
There are no records of orca ever hunting and killing humans in the wild, despite numerous interactions between the two species.
Orca have been known to prey on whale species larger than themselves and they are the only known predators of great white sharks. Their diet also consists of seals, fish and sea birds.
These apex predators, which can can reach sizes of more than 30 feet in length and weigh up to 11 tons, would make light work of any human in the water, if they were so inclined.
Well, I am going to be honest, I don’t believe that Orcas have only "accidentally" attacked humans a couple of times, including the recent event in Spain and Portugal, which are only considered to be playful.
From July to October 2020 there were at least forty reliable reports of orcas attacking boats off the Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal, an unusual and unprecedented behaviour. The nudging, biting and ramming attacks concentrated on the rudders of medium-size sailing vessels sailing at moderate speed, with some impacts on the hulls. A small group of orcas were believed to be responsible, with three juveniles which have been named black Gladis, white Gladis, and grey Gladis identified as present for most attacks. No people were injured. The Portuguese coastguard banned small sailing vessels from a region where several incidents had been reported. It is thought that the behaviour was playful, rather than aggressive or vengeful.[28] However, Gibraltar-based marine biologist Dr Eric Shaw argued that the orcas were displaying protective behaviours and were intentionally targeting the rudder with the understanding that it would immobilise the vessel, just as attacking the tail of a prey animal would immobilise it, a documented predation behaviour.
This video shows a purposeful attempt to flip the boat by this Orca that then chases the boat. The Orcas probably have not picked up on cell phone footage and thought they could get away with taking out that small boat there. Judging from the accents and floating ice, it looked like it was somewhere in the Arctic Circle around Canada and Alaska that those guys could easily go missing. I feel like the only Orcas that kill humans and get away with it are in water far from emergency services, and they go after small boats in waters that would kill them after flipping the boat. They definitely are smart enough to kill without leaving witnesses. Look, they are way smarter than we even know. That Orca may have even seen them filming and stopped pursuing.