A man was fined US$370 after a viral video showed him trying to body slam an orca, known as killer whale, in open waters.
The incident occurred in Auckland city of New Zealand when an orca began swimming alongside the boat the man was sailing in.
The video, which went viral on social media, was shot in February this year showing a 50-year-old Auckland man jumping in the water to try to body slam the massive mammal.
However, he missed the orca which was accompanied by its calf as the man’s companions on the boat laughed at him.
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The viral video showed the man swimming back to approach the killer whale and touched it.
He is heard in the video yelling, “I touched it” and asked his friends, “did you get that?” He then attempted to touch the orca again.
However, the authorities in New Zealand were not happy with the man after the video made rounds on social media.
The Department of Conservation condemned the incident calling it “shocking and stupid attitude” towards wildlife.
“The video left us genuinely stunned. As well as the initial attempt to dive onto the animal, the man stays in the water and then swims toward it again in a second attempt to touch it,” an official said in a statement.
“This is stupid behavior and demonstrates a shocking disregard for the welfare of the orca. It is extremely irresponsible,” he added.
Later, the man in the viral video was US$370 for illegally swimming with, disturb or harass the marine mammal.
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