STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.indiatoday.in/environment/story/killer-whales-sink-sailing-yacht-in-strait-of-gibraltar-oil-tanker-saves-crew-2538921-2024-05-14

Context: Orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar have been attacking and sinking sea vessels, leading to maritime concerns and speculation about their motivations.

About the Strait of Gibraltar

• The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa.
• The continents of Europe and Africa are separated by the Strait. On the northern side are Spain and Gibraltar, and on the southern side are Morocco and Ceuta.
• It lies within the territorial waters of Spain, Morocco, and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, leading to complex geopolitical dynamics.
• The Mediterranean waters are saltier than the Atlantic waters and form a layer of bottom water that constantly flows out into the Atlantic.
• While part of the strait falls within British territorial waters, international laws, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, allow for freedom of navigation and overflight, making it a crucial international passage.
• The strait is an important bird area, serving as a migratory route for hundreds of thousands of seabirds annually.
• It is home to diverse marine ecosystems, including cold-water coral communities and a resident pod of orcas facing threats from pollution.
• It is a vital shipping route between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, with ferries operating between Spain, Morocco, Ceuta, and Gibraltar.

Source:

Reuters

Britannica