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After filming themselves with whales, three friends may have to pay a five-figure penalty.
Three men are shown jumping from a small pleasure boat into open waters of Strait of Gibraltar, as a pod of whales appears nearby.
The mountains of Morocco loom in the background as the swimmers paddle just metres from the animals – in clear violation of Spanish wildlife protection laws.
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The TikTok video was uploaded over the weekend. It included the caption “Swimming With Whales in the Strait of Gibraltar.”
The clip was widely condemned online. There were hundreds of comments condemning the behaviour, calling it reckless, illegal and hazardous.
Others pointed out that the Strait is a powerful current and there are orcas and sharks present.
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The three individuals – who appear to be late-middle aged men – might be feeling nervous after it was revealed that the Guardia Civil hunted down and arrested a group of tourists who tried a similar stunt in Tenerife last month.
The seven men were officially charged after they were filmed swimming with pilot whales at the Teno-Rasca marine protected reserve.
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Despite trying to claim that they were unaware of the law, they now face fines up to potentially €60,000.
It is illegal to dive or swim with cetaceans in Spain.
Boats are required to stay at least 600 metres away from any whales or dolphins. This distance increases if there are calves present. Breaking the rules can lead to fines ranging from €6,000 to €300,000.
The Strait of Gibraltar was declared to be a marine protected corridor in 2018 and is home to resident pilot whales all year round.
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The narrow waters are also a migration route for orcas, fin whales, and sperm whales.
Although no official action has been taken in this case, the Guardia Civil’s environmental unit SEPRONA could open an investigation based on video footage.
Environmental groups warn of the dangers associated with close encounters. They say that they can cause stress to animals, and also put swimmers in danger. One flick of a tail is enough to cause serious injuries.
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