A New Zealand Man Fined for Jumping 'Splash' Toward a Swimming Orca

A Man in His 50s Dived Toward a Killer Whale
"Did You Film It?" He Asked
Companions on the Boat Cheered His Actions

A man in his 50s from New Zealand who dived toward a killer whale in the water was ultimately fined.

On the 22nd (local time), the British daily The Guardian reported that New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) imposed a fine of $600 (about 820,000 KRW) on the man who threatened the safety of the killer whale.

Earlier in February, a video was posted on Instagram showing a man diving toward a killer whale off the coast of Devonport, north of Auckland, sparking controversy. The video showed a man wearing a black swimsuit on a boat diving in the direction of the killer whale. The people on the boat watching burst into laughter and cheers. The man swam around the killer whale, shouting, "I touched (the killer whale)," and "Did you film this?"

A New Zealand man attempted to dive from a boat and collide with an orca.
[Image source=Instagram]

As the video spread, netizens criticized the man’s actions, stating that they were very dangerous and threatened the safety of the endangered killer whale. The local authorities, having received the video as a tip, launched an investigation and, after tracking down the identities of the man and his group, fined them for violating the Wildlife Protection Act.

A representative from the Department of Conservation stated, "The man clearly violated the Marine Mammals Protection Act," adding, "Swimming with or harassing killer whales is illegal." They continued, "While some people accidentally get close to killer whales while riding jet skis, this case was blatantly foolish," and said, "It is unbelievable that he intentionally jumped into the water, swam toward the killer whale, and then checked if this was being filmed."

The representative also said, "It appears to be an attempt to gain 'likes' and views on social media," and added, "What is disappointing is not only the man's behavior but also that the people on the boat encouraged his actions." Fortunately, it has been confirmed that the killer whale was not injured or harmed by the man.

Meanwhile, the killer whale population in New Zealand numbers only about 150 to 200 individuals and is designated as an 'internationally endangered species.'