IFP Exclusive

Should Iranians Worry about Killer Whale Spotted in Persian Gulf?

An Iranian environment official confirmed reports that orcas or killer whales have been sighted off the coasts of Bushehr Province, but stressed that these whales pose no threat to humans.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Davoud Mirshekar, director of the Marine Ecosystems Office at the Department of Environment (DoE), said the presence of orcas (also known as killer whales) in the Persian Gulf is not unusual.

“This species was seen near the UAE a couple of weeks ago and then somewhere between (the Iranian islands of) Kish and Hendurabi,” the official said, according to Financial Tribune. Mirshekar noted that orcas have ventured into Iranian waters before but sightings were never reported.

“Their presence here is not strange at all. They’re here to feed,” he added.

The most widely distributed mammal, orcas have been documented foraging in shallow coastal waters.

In Iran, they are known by their less appealing name of killer whale, which sparked concerns among some people when the sightings were first reported.

“They pose no threats to humans,” Mirshekar said. “Their varied diet—from fish to seals—has garnered them the name of killer whale.”

The environment official said orcas are among the most intelligent animals on the planet, which is why they have historically had good relations with humans.

“There have only been a couple of reports of orcas attacking humans and they all happened when the animals were being held in captivity,” he said. Killer whales are commonly found swimming in the cold waters of Antarctic Peninsula, but a type known as Type B killer whales have been found to venture into the warmer waters of the tropics, such as the Persian Gulf, to help regenerate skin tissue.

They have been known to swim as far north as the states of Florida and Hawaii in the United States, so their sighting in the Persian Gulf—while infrequent—is not unusual.

IFP Editorial Staff

The IFP Editorial Staff is composed of dozens of skilled journalists, news-writers, and analysts whose works are edited and published by experienced editors specialized in Iran News. The editor of each IFP Service is responsible for the report published by the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website, and can be contacted through the ways mentioned in the "IFP Editorial Staff" section.

Recent Posts

Deputy FM raps US for holding Iranians hostage

A deputy Iranian foreign minister has criticized Washington for taking Iranian nationals hostage under the…

1 hour ago

Iran’s interior minister warns population crisis looms

Iranian Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, has raised alarms over the nation's declining population growth, warning…

1 hour ago

US suggests Ukraine consider ceding territories: El Pais

US President-elect Donald Trump has sent a message to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him…

3 hours ago

Iranian official touts  blanket removal of internet filtering, dismisses step-by-step plan as ‘ineffective’

A member of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace has voiced his opposition to the government's…

3 hours ago

Sacked Persepolis coach Garrido bids emotional farewell

Juan Carlos Garrido, the former head coach of Persepolis, shared an emotional farewell message on…

4 hours ago

Sanctions against Syria must be lifted ‘as soon as possible’: Turkish FM

Ankara has called for the anti-Syria sanctions to be lifted "as soon as possible" as…

4 hours ago