dunedin
Well-Known Member
Plenty of yachts attacked (over a hundred now?) and multiple sunk by Orcas off Spain/Portugal/France. And one boat seemed to claim a lesser incident off Shetland 2 or 3 years ago.
So would not be a unique incident.
Orcas now at Start Point & off Salcombe
- Thread starter wonkywinch
- Start date
So would not be a unique incident.
wonkywinch
Well-Known Member
Recently been scuba diving in Malaysia and Thailand. I really don't like it when the guides rattle containers to try to attract the sharks.
ducked
Well-Known Member
"Personally" implies you, yourself, as opposed to your boat.
I think you''d appreciate the difference, however briefly, if it happened to you, and AFAIK it hasn't yet happened to anyone.
So would be a unique incident.
ducked
Well-Known Member
Attacking yachts in order to potentially eat thier crew seems very inneficient and potentially dangerous for the predator.
IF they started doing that (or they are considering it) it would suggest a more complex motivation than simple predation.
Something wrong with the alternative prey? But seal populations arent declining AFAIK, though I suppose they could be contaminated.
Or Sport?
Or War?
OTOH there is spectacular footage of them risking stranding to take seal off the shoreline, so they are not necessarily risk averse. Perhaps the competitive pressures are especially high in that situation, though it would be difficult to get supporting data for that hypothesis.
Or they are just thrill-seekers?
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john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
They’d not have learned that until they’d tried a few. Also when you’re a hungry predator any food is better than no food.
But I appreciate humans aren’t normally on their target list. Perhaps because not many people go swimming around in waters deep enough to be the usual habitat of orcas.
GHA
Well-Known Member
Never ever ever been a single incident of Orcas attacking humans outside of captivity. One incident couple of centuries ago on ice where almost certainly Orcas thought humans were seals out of the water on ice. Monsters from the Id are pretty commonplace on Web chat rooms though..
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
There is a you tube video of an Orca beaching itself whilst trying to catch a swimmer. The swimmer just manages to run to the side, so the whale misses him. Of course it could be a false video. Who knows
GHA
Well-Known Member
No link then didn't happen.
>
Reliable Accounts of Orca Attacks on Humans in the Wild
Summary:
There are extremely few reliable accounts of orcas (killer whales) attacking humans in the wild, and no confirmed cases of orcas deliberately killing humans outside of captivity or orchestrated activity. Most documented incidents are rare, non-fatal, and often appear to be cases of mistaken identity or curiosity rather than predatory aggression.
Documented Incidents
1972: Point Sur, California – Hans Kretschmer Incident
The most widely cited case occurred in 1972, when surfer Hans Kretschmer was bitten by a wild orca. Kretschmer suffered significant injuries to his leg but survived. This remains the only well-documented and serious injury inflicted by a wild orca on a human. The circumstances suggest the orca may have mistaken him for a seal or was simply curious.
2014: Horahora Estuary, New Zealand – Levi Gavin Incident
A diver, Levi Gavin, was pulled underwater by an orca that grabbed a catch bag attached to his arm. He was dragged for about 40 seconds before escaping, but was not injured. The orca appeared interested in the bag of crayfish rather than Gavin himself.
2005: Helm Bay, Alaska – 12-Year-Old Boy Incident
A 12-year-old boy swimming in shallow water was rushed by an orca, which bumped him but did not bite or injure him. Observers noted the whale appeared to change its mind at the last moment, possibly recognising the boy was not typical prey.
Other Claims
Unverified Historical Accounts
There are some unverified or anecdotal reports, such as a story from Igloolik elders about a fatality involving a man and orcas trapped in ice; however, these lack direct evidence and are not considered reliable by scientists.
Orca Attacks in Captivity
In contrast to their behaviour in the wild, captive orcas have been responsible for numerous attacks, some fatal, on humans. These incidents are attributed to the stress and unnatural conditions of captivity, not to natural predatory behaviour.
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Just the usual Internet chat room made up garbage.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
Wrong. At least one well documented on Scott's expedition to the Antarctic, and several others where they displayed predatory behaviour.Never ever ever been a single incident of Orcas attacking humans outside of captivity. One incident couple of centuries ago on ice where almost certainly Orcas thought humans were seals out of the water on ice. Monsters from the Id are pretty commonplace on Web chat rooms though..
GHA
Well-Known Member
Post 26. Monsters from the Id. There are things in the real world to be wary of, getting eaten by an Orca is just the usual social media garbage. Text book Dunning Kruger. No point really bothering with evidence data and science, blunt instrument against such massive bias.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
All the same, apart from rudder-munching, it does seem pretty clear that orcas present a very low risk to humans.
AIUI, a few bites, then "Pteuh - I don't like that", a couple of likely "Dinner? let's go - oh no, not dinner, just another human, why can't the bloody things stay on land where they belong?" and little else.
It's not dissimilar with sharks. Yes, there are well-documented cases of shark attacks, but they're far less common than myth would have us believe. You're far more likely to be killed while driving to the beach
AIUI, a few bites, then "Pteuh - I don't like that", a couple of likely "Dinner? let's go - oh no, not dinner, just another human, why can't the bloody things stay on land where they belong?" and little else.
It's not dissimilar with sharks. Yes, there are well-documented cases of shark attacks, but they're far less common than myth would have us believe. You're far more likely to be killed while driving to the beach
GHA
Well-Known Member
They can see straight through you long before needing a taste
The ice floe incident above seems just normal seal hunting tactics, they would have never come across a human before and not have any sonar to know it was something new.Incredible clever mammals
ducked
Well-Known Member
OTOH when you are in the water with a big one, alone, and a long way from the shore, with no fins, just to emphasise your spectacular relative maladaptation, you do tend to wonder if you are about to become uncommon.
But I'm still here, which does tend to support your statement.
John R B
New Member
We were visited by a pod of about five Risso’s Dolphins in the southern part of Start Bay this morning. They stayed with us for about half an hour as we sailed towards Dartmouth. It was amazing to see, as they are big for dolphins, but quite unnerving too as they were bumping the hull occasionally and also nudging the rudder. Very strange to see a dolphin holding station under the stern. I have no idea what prompts that behaviour, but I have reported it to the Sea Watch Foundation. Maybe they’ve been taking lessons from their cousins the Orcas!
wallacebob
Well-Known Member
Dolphins and Orcas are reasonably common around the Forth. Port Edgar has Derek the Dolphin who plays with the sailing school kids. See also
