After being captured on video purposefully startling an orca that was swimming with its calf, a belly-flopping man was forced to pay the price for “body slamming” the marine mammal. Was it enough? You decide.

Legal Repercussions:

As a result of his actions, the man was fined $600. The DOC also reported that this incident was part of a larger issue, with multiple reports of people getting dangerously close to orcas over the same weekend. The breach of the Marine Mammals Protection Act is a serious matter, as it is illegal to disturb or harass marine mammals in New Zealand waters.

Loper explained that orcas, classified as whales under New Zealand conservation legislation, are protected by laws designed to prevent such disturbances. The DOC’s marine science staff have cited recent incidents off the coast of Spain, where orcas have sunk small vessels, as a reminder of the risks involved in interacting with these apex predators.