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The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

theatlantic.com

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Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

#11

Post by GVIrish »

PorterDuff wrote: post #8

I wonder if lifeboats couldn't carry a little device that sounds (or smells) like a killer whale. Maybe sharks are never really that much of a problem.

There has been a number of experiments that tried to isolate chemicals produced by the decaying shark flesh to repel sharks. The theory goes that sharks will avoid the smell of dead sharks, so a few groups I've tried to isolate those compounds to create a shark repellent. Not sure if any of them were fully successful.

In the case of the Farallon Islands it might be that once Great Whites can smell that the orcas have eaten one of their own they know it's time to escape.

I've seen at least one documentary where smaller sharks disperse when they hear the calls of orcas. Seems like it could at least be somewhat effective in areas where orcas regularly prey on sharks.

Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

#13

Post by mvidal01 »

ForHackernews wrote: post #6
umvi wrote: post #5

That's amazing that the Orcas have evolved to know how to precisely extract and consume just the liver of (at least) one specific species in the ocean that they probably don't consume often

It's probably a learned (and taught) behavior, not an evolved instinctive one. Orcas exhibit complex behaviors that vary from population to population, much like human cultures: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/understanding-...

They learn all sorts of stuff - https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/running-ponies/the-lege...

Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

#15

Post by e40 »

mvidal01 wrote: post #13
ForHackernews wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's probably a learned (and taught) behavior, not an evolved instinctive one. Orcas exhibit complex behaviors that vary from population to population, much like human cultures: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/understanding-...

They learn all sorts of stuff - https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/running-ponies/the-lege...

What a wonderful and sad article.

Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

#16

Post by phonypc »

freditup wrote: post #4

Clickbait title. Actual title should be: [Orcas] Can Make Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

Seems innocuous to me. It doesn't give false impressions in the way so many article titles do these days, just a hook for finding out what the predator is.

Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

#17

Post by chrisseaton »

phonypc wrote: post #16
freditup wrote: post #4

Clickbait title. Actual title should be: [Orcas] Can Make Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

Seems innocuous to me. It doesn't give false impressions in the way so many article titles do these days, just a hook for finding out what the predator is.

> just a hook for finding out what the predator is

That's the problem - click baiting and hiding information.

Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

#20

Post by nkozyra »

chrisseaton wrote: post #17
phonypc wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems innocuous to me. It doesn't give false impressions in the way so many article titles do these days, just a hook for finding out what the predator is.

> just a hook for finding out what the predator is That's the problem - click baiting and hiding information.

Headlines don't need to be this expressive to avoid being clickbait.
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