The Spanish authorities have launched Orcinus this month, a reporting and tracking app which allows users to view and make reports relating to Orca whale sightings and encounters across the world.
This application has been created thanks to the cooperation between the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (www.thebdri.com) and the Nautilus Project and has been funded by Portos de Galicia (Xunta de Galicia).
Produced in response to the ever-increasing damaging interactions between pods of orcas and sailing yachts off the coast of the Iberian peninusula, this free App gives sailors transiting the coast the opportunity to see in real-time any reported orca sightings and interactions, as well as make reports themselves.
This means that as soon as a sailboat using the App sights orcas, they can report it on the App and all other App users will be notified of the position. Users can also view a map of reports, filtering it historically as well as selecting how far from your current position you wish to see reports.
This is a huge step in helping sailors plan their route around the Iberian peninsula safely and the more sailors that download the app and contribute, the better and more useful the app will become.
The App is for use on both IOS and Android and can be downloaded at:
At this link a cruiser has made a useful quick introduction to the App so you can find out more about it and how it works.
Interview with the Nautilus Project about the App.
See the Noonsite Orcas and Yachts page for more news items and the history of this behaviour.
