The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear

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

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

#6

Post by ForHackernews » Mon, Apr 22, 2019, 2:05 PM UTC

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-...

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

#7

Post by GVIrish » Mon, Apr 22, 2019, 2:17 PM UTC

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

What's also amazing to me is that they've learned that they can turn the sharks upside down to induce tonic immobility and make it easier (and less dangerous) to eat them.

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

#8

Post by PorterDuff » Mon, Apr 22, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

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.

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

#9

Post by tyingq » Mon, Apr 22, 2019, 2:53 PM UTC

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.

This article mentions a wetsuit with a visual orca belly print having some promise: https://www.nature.com/news/south-african-scientists-trial-h...

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

#10

Post by wnevets » Mon, Apr 22, 2019, 2:54 PM UTC

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.

>Maybe sharks are never really that much of a problem.

Pretty sure that is the case.

>According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), between 1958 and 2016 there were 2,785 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks around the world, of which 439 were fatal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_attack