Orcas, Portugal and Unexpected Inspections

[Beneteau381]

Well, they are reputed to be pretty intelligent. Maybe no one has CAUGHT a Killer Whale attacking a human! I know of at least one fatal interaction with a much smaller (though still pretty big) carnivore (leopard seal). And the Wikipedia page documents at least one occasion (the BBC film crew) where their behaviour was an attack pattern.

I know that I personally would never voluntarily put myself in a position where a Killer whale had a chance of attacking me. Their history in captivity strongly suggests that whatever else they may be, they are VERY unpredictable. The one time I've been in the same waters as a Killer Whale, in the Inner Sound between Skye and the mainland in a smallish boat, although I was thrilled to see it, I was also very apprehensive and very glad that the whale took no interest in me.

There is one Youtube vid where tail slapping and bubble curtaining, a hunting behaviour, can be clearly seen.

 

[cherod]

I thought the point was simple; not a lot of humans have been in the same bit of sea as a pod of orcas, and orcas eat other mammals that are about our size. QED.

not all , or even most , orcas do

 

[cherod]

I thought the point was simple; not a lot of humans have been in the same bit of sea as a pod of orcas, and orcas eat other mammals that are about our size. QED.

i thot perhaps you had experience of eating one , other or both !!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

not all , or even most , orcas do

As you say, there are fish-eating and seal-eating populations; the fish-eating ones are further divided according to preferred prey species. It is widely suspected by biologists that there are in fact several species of Killer Whale, but without a lot more work on their genetics, it can't be proved. The morphology backs this; populations vary quite substantially in size. There are definitely different populations with differing hunting and prey preferences; these are quite distinct (see, for example, any account of the Killer whales around Vancouver Island, where there are two distinct populations that frequent the same waters but don't mix).

But I'm afraid that if I come across a pod of large black and white cetaceans with big pointy teeth, I'm not going to ask which kind they are!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

i thot perhaps you had experience of eating one , other or both !!

I was once offered seal meat from a tin, but it looked so unappetizing that I didn't accept. I'm told (by people who did accept) that it is a very "red meat" flavour, with a rather loose texture. Folklore has it that we taste more like pig or veal, but I don't know anyone who has experience of that.

 

[cherod]

As you say, there are fish-eating and seal-eating populations; the fish-eating ones are further divided according to preferred prey species. It is widely suspected by biologists that there are in fact several species of Killer Whale, but without a lot more work on their genetics, it can't be proved. The morphology backs this; populations vary quite substantially in size. There are definitely different populations with differing hunting and prey preferences; these are quite distinct (see, for example, any account of the Killer whales around Vancouver Island, where there are two distinct populations that frequent the same waters but don't mix).

But I'm afraid that if I come across a pod of large black and white cetaceans with big pointy teeth, I'm not going to ask which kind they are!

you might not have to

 

[cherod]

As you say, there are fish-eating and seal-eating populations; the fish-eating ones are further divided according to preferred prey species. It is widely suspected by biologists that there are in fact several species of Killer Whale, but without a lot more work on their genetics, it can't be proved. The morphology backs this; populations vary quite substantially in size. There are definitely different populations with differing hunting and prey preferences; these are quite distinct (see, for example, any account of the Killer whales around Vancouver Island, where there are two distinct populations that frequent the same waters but don't mix).

yes , as i alluded to in my post . ( although some may find your detail useful / interesting )

 

[cherod]

I was once offered seal meat from a tin, but it looked so unappetizing that I didn't accept. I'm told (by people who did accept) that it is a very "red meat" flavour, with a rather loose texture. Folklore has it that we taste more like pig or veal, but I don't know anyone who has experience of that.

that may have emanated from places like Papua new guinea where canabilisim was once rife , and pig and human were both on the menu

 

[Graham376]

Whether we taste like seals or not, the issue is that we are much the same size as seals. Most carnivores select their prey on the basis of size and availability.

Perhaps we should carry a couple of sacrificial morbidly obese crew members to satisfy their appetites.

 

[Mistroma]

Perhaps we should carry a couple of sacrificial morbidly obese crew members to satisfy their appetites.

Make them wear black wetsuits. Perhaps a rucksack with some fava beans and a nice chianti if you want to attract more discerning Orca.

Might not be the best plan.

 

[Kukri]

that may have emanated from places like Papua new guinea where canabilisim was once rife , and pig and human were both on the menu

Technically, the home of the world’s most expensive dish, stewed Rockefeller, is next door, in Irian Jaya.

 

[pandos]

Perhaps we should carry a couple of sacrificial morbidly obese crew members to satisfy their appetites.

Why morbidly obese...surely just any old spare crew would do,

 

[Mistroma]

Why morbidly obese...surely just any old spare crew would do,

I imagine you want them to be satisfied. Skinny crew might just be considered an amuse-bouche and make matters worse.

 

[lusitano]

I know for a fact that Orcas do love rasberry sandwiches ! long story........

 

[AntarcticPilot]

that may have emanated from places like Papua new guinea where canabilisim was once rife , and pig and human were both on the menu

It crossed my mind that a good friend of mine might have known someone who could tell you what we taste like. He was a missionary in Melanesia in the 60s and 70s, so I guess the grandparent generation when he was there might have indulged in their youth. Papua New Guinea was on his patch, and some of the interior tribes were still cannibals in living memory, but I don't think he had much to do with PNG, he was based in the Solomon Islands. He has written histories of the Solomon's.

 

[Rappey]

Dangling anchors or anything else over the side is a crazy idea.. Have you not seen the vid posted much earlier where a orca pulls an anchored boat over a fair distance at a fair speed and rams it into the side of another anchored boat , gives an impressive breach then speeds off?
As for depth charging what if that really annoys them, they get another 30 of their friends then slam into the side of your boat at 30 knts ?
Im sure a few of them working together would have no problem capsizing a boat.

 

[Kukri]

In PNG when I was there, long pig was always considered to have been a Highland thing. It wasn’t a big issue - “rascals” were - and, I gather, are - the problem. Outbreaks of “kuru”, a really nasty disease related to BSE, were caused by eating human brains.

 

[cherod]

Why morbidly obese...surely just any old spare crew would do,

Well , some may have seen / read / heard of an instance where a towed inflatesble dingy was of considerable distraction during one interaction ( their term , not mine ) i am surprised that there has not been more mention of such a tactic , successful or otherwise , Also , the possability of doning a blow up doll ( i am sure many of you know the type of thing ?) with some typical northern european yachty garb and tossing that in , be interesting as to whither they might “ attack “ / interact ( omg ) at all , that may allay or confirm the concern / fears ( / paranoia ) of the likes of Kukri or Artic man ?

 

[cherod]

In PNG when I was there, long pig was always considered to have been a Highland thing. It wasn’t a big issue - “rascals” were - and, I gather, are - the problem. Outbreaks of “kuru”, a really nasty disease related to BSE, were caused by eating human brains.

YUK ?

 

[cherod]

Dangling anchors or anything else over the side is a crazy idea.. Have you not seen the vid posted much earlier where a orca pulls an anchored boat over a fair distance at a fair speed and rams it into the side of another anchored boat , gives an impressive breach then speeds off?
As for depth charging what if that really annoys them, they get another 30 of their friends then slam into the side of your boat at 30 knts ?
Im sure a few of them working together would have no problem capsizing a boat.

I will defer to anyones greater knowledge on this , but when i used to work with dolphins it was widely accepted that if they chose to , and had done , do you any harm they would swipe you with their tail , considered a very real danger when lifting them , i know that when they attack other dolphins or other fishy things they do prod with theis noses but i believe them to be somewhat delicate , tbh i doubt that they would ram a solid object like a sail boat , at 30 knts they would probably explode .