The clip was recorded by other passengers on the boat.
A man who jumped off a boat near two killer whales in New Zealand has been criticized on social media. A video of the man's actions was shared on Instagram by the Department of Conservation (DOC), which called the incident “shocking and stupid.” DOC said it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to touch or “ram” the marine mammal. The ministry also announced that it had fined the 50-year-old diver NZ$600 (Rs 30,600).
The incident occurred off the coast of Devonport in February, and the department has now shared the video.
“This man displayed reckless behavior that showed a disregard for not only his own safety, but also the safety of a male orca with a baby who was swimming near the vessel,” the DOC said in an Instagram post.
The footage was recorded by other passengers on the ship. In the video, a man can be heard saying, “I touched it,” and asking, “Did you get it?”, an apparent reference to filming the incident.
“This is foolish behavior and shows a shocking disregard for the welfare of the orca. It's extremely irresponsible. Orcas are incredibly powerful animals and this could have ended really horribly – either the startled whale was injured or the person responsible was injured by an aggravated animal,” DOC said in a statement.
He added that it is illegal to swim with whales or disturb or harass marine mammals. “This is a clear violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.”
Killer whales are apex predators, and the population of killer whales found around New Zealand waters is estimated to be between 150 and 200 individuals.
