The Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO) sent the results of its investigations into the shooting of orca Toñi, the longest-living orca in the Strait of Gibraltar, to the Environmental Prosecutor's Office. The department led by Sara Aagesen points to evidence of a crime against a protected species, with lead marks detected on the cetacean's dorsal fin in mid-August. The investigations indicate that a Spanish-flagged vessel allegedly fired the shots in Portuguese waters.
The vice president of the government and minister for the Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, emphasized that Toñi belongs to a vulnerable species whose protection is safeguarded by law. MITECO has also requested the collaboration of the Central Operational Environmental Unit (UCOMA) of the Civil Guard to identify those potentially responsible.
Since August 13, environmental agents from the General Subdirectorate of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity have been conducting the investigations, which began after the conservation organization WeWhale informed the ministry about the lead wounds detected on the animal's dorsal fin.
The organization WeWhale reported that Toñi was shot, revealing approximately 10 shotgun lead impacts on the left side of the dorsal fin. The images indicate that at least two or three projectiles may have passed through the fin, while others appear to remain inside it. The orca is also present in the Gulf of Cádiz.
