Gibraltar
WATCH: Spanish teenager is terrorised by Gibraltar monkey: Locals give tourists advice on dealing with the apes
A TEENAGE girl was terrorised by an encounter with one of the Barbary macaques that inhabit the Rock of Gibraltar. Read here what you should do when you encounter them.
A TikTok video showed two teenagers running away from a macaque that was following them.
A monkey was even seen reaching for the bag of one of the girls, who looked very terrified after the encounter with the animals.
Some 300 animals are thought to inhabit the Upper Rock area of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, living in five troops.
The macaques are a very popular tourist attraction. The most popular troop is the one at Queen’s Gate, where visitors can get really close to the monkeys.
How should you deal with them?
If you’re planning to pay the monkeys a visit, there are some things you should keep in mind.
They’re used to human interaction and will often approach, sometimes even climb onto people.
They might try to steal something from you that they think they can eat, that’s why you should remember to keep your backpack on your front, this is advice that Facebook-user @GibraltarGamers provided.
Always stay calm around the animals, chances are big that they will just ignore you when you act calm and keep your distance.
Don’t eat food when they can see you. They will definitely come at you if you open a pack of crisps, even better would be not to take any food with you, because they have a good sense of smell.
Nevertheless, they are still wild animals and will bite if they feel threatened or annoyed.
Direct contact with the monkeys is strongly discouraged, feeding them is an offence and can result in a fine of up to £4,000.
The macaque population in Gibraltar is the only wild monkey population on the European continent.
The Barbary macaques originate from the Atlas and Rif mountain ranges in Morocco, and they are thought to have been introduced during the islamic period, since they were already present when the British captured the area in 1704.
The macaques are an endangered species in the Moroccan mountain ranges because of hunting and deforestation, however the population of macaques on the Rock has only been increasing.
THE ALMADRABA tuna fishing campaign officially got underway on Monday, with the first Atlantic bluefin tuna being hoisted onto the decks of the fishing trawlers off the coast of Barbate in Cádiz province.
Fishermen working for Petaca Chico, the company that operates the largest of the four remaining almadrabas in Cádiz, successfully hauled in around 80 Atlantic bluefin tuna during the opening catch.
Using an ancient and sustainable technique that dates back over 3,000 years, they lured the powerful fish into a complex maze of nets, before divers armed with spearguns entered the water to deliver a swift, humane shot to each specimen.
READ MORE: Summer is set to arrive with a bang in Spain’s Malaga with highs of 30C – Olive Press News Spain
Some of the tuna caught during this first haul weighed over 400 kilograms. Once secured, the fish were rapidly transported to shore to be processed and sold fresh.
But the tuna season also brings a rather unwelcome guest back to the Strait of Gibraltar: orcas.
These intelligent marine predators are known to follow the migratory path of the Atlantic bluefin tuna and ‘attack’ small boats.
Just last week, another orca encounter occurred off the coast of Tarifa, where an Italian sailing vessel was ‘attacked’ by a pod of orcas.
The orcas ‘play’ with small boats, aiming for the rudders with their heads in their aquatic football game, and in many cases causing damage to the boats.
The skipper of the sailing vessel had to contact emergency services because his rudder was destroyed by the orcas’ game.
These incidents are becoming increasingly frequent, particularly around the Strait, where encounters between boats and orcas have risen sharply since 2020.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Yachtie warns of killing orca ‘with a tear in my eye’ if dangerous interactions in the Strait of Gibraltar are not tackled this summer – Olive Press News Spain
While no fatalities have occurred, the damage to vessels can be significant, and the fear among sailors is growing.
Some local captains are now threatening to take matters into their own hands, with one even suggesting killing an orca to ‘teach them a lesson’ if authorities fail to intervene.
The orcas hurt the local economy, because many sailors are hesitant to get on the water again with their vessels, afraid that they will fall victim to the orcas’ damaging game.
With summer approaching, concerns are mounting over a possible surge in orca encounters, which could have negative effects for tourism and the broader maritime industry in the region.
Whether local or national authorities will implement measures to address the situation remains to be seen.
almadraba
Spain’s Famous Almadraba Tuna Fishing Season Kicks Off In Cadiz This Week – Olive Press News Spain
THE ALMADRABA tuna fishing campaign officially got underway on Monday, with the first Atlantic bluefin tuna being hoisted onto the decks of the fishing trawlers off the coast of Barbate in Cádiz province.
Fishermen working for Petaca Chico, the company that operates the largest of the four remaining almadrabas in Cádiz, successfully hauled in around 80 Atlantic bluefin tuna during the opening catch.
Using an ancient and sustainable technique that dates back over 3,000 years, they lured the powerful fish into a complex maze of nets, before divers armed with spearguns entered the water to deliver a swift, humane shot to each specimen.
But the tuna season also brings a rather unwelcome guest back to the Strait of Gibraltar: orcas.
These intelligent marine predators are known to follow the migratory path of the Atlantic bluefin tuna and ‘attack’ small boats.
Just last week, another orca encounter occurred off the coast of Tarifa, where an Italian sailing vessel was ‘attacked’ by a pod of orcas.
The orcas ‘play’ with small boats, aiming for the rudders with their heads in their aquatic football game, and in many cases causing damage to the boats.
The skipper of the sailing vessel had to contact emergency services because his rudder was destroyed by the orcas’ game.
These incidents are becoming increasingly frequent, particularly around the Strait, where encounters between boats and orcas have risen sharply since 2020.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Yachtie warns of killing orca ‘with a tear in my eye’ if dangerous interactions in the Strait of Gibraltar are not tackled this summer – Olive Press News Spain
While no fatalities have occurred, the damage to vessels can be significant, and the fear among sailors is growing.
Some local captains are now threatening to take matters into their own hands, with one even suggesting killing an orca to ‘teach them a lesson’ if authorities fail to intervene.
The orcas hurt the local economy, because many sailors are hesitant to get on the water again with their vessels, afraid that they will fall victim to the orcas’ damaging game.
With summer approaching, concerns are mounting over a possible surge in orca encounters, which could have negative effects for tourism and the broader maritime industry in the region.
Whether local or national authorities will implement measures to address the situation remains to be seen.
Cadiz
WATCH: Scientists Are Attaching Cameras To Orcas In The Strait Of Gibraltar Amid Growing Yachtie Anger Over Dangerous ‘interactions’ – Olive Press News Spain
ORCA season is returning to the Strait of Gibraltar and scientists are already working on ways to mitigate their interactions with sail boats amid rising anger from the region’s skippers.
A new campaign to track and protect the endangered Iberian orcas has kicked off from the Cadiz town of Barbate after the first pods were confirmed to have arrived in the Strait.
Conservation group CIRCE has demonstrated their method of firing cameras kitted out with suction cups to harmlessly attach to a killer whale without getting too close.
Known as ‘catcams’, the ambitious monitoring operation combines them with satellite tracking to better understand the behaviour of these curious creatures — especially the ones known for approaching sailing boats.
The campaign comes as part of a growing effort to reduce the number of run-ins between orcas and vessels in the Strait.
These interactions have sparked international headlines in recent years — with orcas damaging rudders and even sinking small yachts with sailors helpless.
“We now know that keeping the boat moving is key,” explained CIRCE researchers.
“Stopping gives orcas more time to push the rudder, which increases the risk of serious damage.”
So far, the team has tracked 42 individual orcas from three major family groups. In total, some 90 have been identified since 1999.
The campaign has three fundamental objectives: reducing encounters between vessels and orcas, minimising impact when encounters occur, and modifying orca behaviour through specific techniques.
Two research vessels will be deployed, including their main boat, Elsa, along with land-based observations to assess the viability of coastal monitoring which could warn sailboats of orca presence.
New safe navigation routes have already been mapped, based on predictive models and past tracking data — and appear to be working.
Orca interactions dropped by 70% last year, with just two reported so far in 2025 according to CIRCE, while the Cruising Association put the figure at eight – and none since February.
Anecdotally, the Olive Press knows of one catamaran that has been damaged by orca strikes in the last four weeks.
CIRCE will be hosting talks at marinas and sailing clubs around the Strait to share advice with skippers.
They also hope to spot orcas from the coastline and issue real-time alerts to nearby vessels.
The announcement comes after the Olive Press reported rising anger among captains and skippers at the lack of progress made in tackling the orca strikes.
They have even warned that the first orca could be killed this summer if solutions are not found.
Yassine Darkaoui, a sailor who runs a repair shop in Tangier, told the Olive Press he has fixed the rudders of three separate vessels after orca interactions in the past year alone.
“I meet a lot of sailors and many of them tell me they are prepared to shoot these motherf***ers if they come and try to harm their boats or even endanger their families,” said Darkaoui, who has had to shelve plans to open a sailing centre in Tangier because of the orcas.
“Some guys invested their life savings in their boat; for them it is their home and their business.
“So when you see that you are being attacked by those beautiful monsters, it will lead to people shooting at them.
“People are thinking that, because they’re so smart, they can teach these animals to leave them alone by killing one, which for me is not the best solution.”
“But it is just a matter of time – and not much time. Summer is coming, the tuna migration begins soon, and the orcas are coming back.
“But let me tell you, if I kill an orca, I will kill it with a tear in my eye.”
The Iberian orca is a protected species, and the maximum punishment under Spanish law for harming – or killing one – is two years in prison.
But sailors have already been known to throw firecrackers and rice overboard at the orcas, which are sensitive to loud noises.
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