Marine tourism in the Avacha Gulf is placing a critical burden on killer whales of the AV162 matriline – a family of six individuals known as the Arfa group. On August 3, tourist vessels engaged in an extensive pursuit of these animals.
The total number of vessels in the water area reached 33 that day, with a maximum of 17 boats simultaneously chasing the killer whales. The pursuit commenced at 12:15 with four boats approaching while the animals were feeding. By 12:30, seven vessels were positioned near the group, prompting the killer whales to flee southward. The animals formed a dense cluster and executed prolonged dives, temporarily evading the sight of the boat operators.
The marine environment offers no physical shelters for the animals to utilize. Because killer whales must periodically surface to breathe, they remain consistently visible to vessels in the vicinity, enabling the pursuit to resume. The sustained tracking continued until the final boat departed the area at approximately 14:45.
Driven by the increasing pressures of consumer tourism, the Avacha Gulf has ceased to function as a safe habitat for local killer whale populations.