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Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

smithsonianmag.com

21–30 of 199 posts

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#21
I dont really get how this is suggested seriously as a new behavior.

The inspiration for Moby Dick, one of the most read books in English, was based on a ship sunk my sperm whales: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship)

Yes I know orcas and sperm whales are different, but its weird that this is suggested a new behavior in general. And not just a new counting of something that has been going on for centuries.

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

orcas are really really big though (~6000lbs)? seems like this might not scale up… or if it did it might be deadly for smaller creatures?

Smaller, like people?

Speak for yourself!

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#23
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Orcas are a lot smarter than carp and appear to be doing this deliberately. It doesn't seem immediately obvious that causing these animals pain will prevent them from causing damage.

Pretty much all animals will avoid and deliberate action to avoid pain I think it's a reasonable assumption

Animals opt into pain-inducing behavior literally all the time. The question is just what reward is on the other side of that pain?

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#24
post #3

Just add a low voltage electric fence to 2 plates glued underwater at port and starboard. Salt water conducts, also Orca's conduct - some small current flow that will be repellant to the Orca's, but not harmful. They do this to repel carp swimming upriver. one of those, with proper voltage and current limiting should be felt by an orca, but not harm the orca. A little experimentation will find a safe repellant level.

orcas are really really big though (~6000lbs)? seems like this might not scale up… or if it did it might be deadly for smaller creatures?

Cattle prods might do the trick?

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#26
post #25

I wonder what kind of gun would you need to chase away an orca. I'm going to assume 9mm wouldn't even penetrate their thick skin and subskin fat.

I'm skeptical anything (reasonable) would be able to shoot through several feet of water.

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#27

I dont really get how this is suggested seriously as a new behavior. The inspiration for Moby Dick, one of the most read books in English, was based on a ship sunk my sperm whales: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship) Yes I know orcas and sperm whales are different, but its weird that this is suggested a new behavior in general. And not just a new counting of something that has been going on for centuries.

Orcas haven't been ramming boats for decades. Now, all of a sudden, we're seeing the behavior crop up all over the place. This is new behavior that is being communicated and taught.

Imagine when they discover that there are calorie sources aboard the ships. Orcas are known to eat terrestrial mammals such as swimming deer and moose. They've been observed hunting swimming dogs.

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#29

Orcas are orcanizing! Orcas are cultural animals that are similar to us in that fads are a thing for them. A while back they had a fad where they'd kill a salmon and wear it as a hat. I think this is a fad, they're having fun, it'll pass. These headlines are so fun!

Would it possible for eating humans to be a fad? and then not a dad because they then find out we taste good?

Re: Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

#30

I dont really get how this is suggested seriously as a new behavior. The inspiration for Moby Dick, one of the most read books in English, was based on a ship sunk my sperm whales: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship) Yes I know orcas and sperm whales are different, but its weird that this is suggested a new behavior in general. And not just a new counting of something that has been going on for centuries.

A single whaler in 1820 versus a spate of events since a few months back seem rather unrelated, orcas have not been ramming boats all over for the last two centuries.

Though I guess it’s possible that they’re also avenging or preemptively defending themselves.

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