Humpback Whales are protecting other animals from Killer Whales

Interesting article from National Geographic.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/...&sf123739159=1

There are over 100 recorded incidents where Humpback whales have been trying to protect other whales of their species or completely other species from killer whales, apparently 89% of these incidents involved humpback whales protecting other species. It is interesting question why are these animals behaving like they do. Is it an instinct or are they actually sympathetic towards other species?

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Originally Posted by Kagemusha

Interesting article from National Geographic.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/...&sf123739159=1

There are over 100 recorded incidents where Humpback whales have been trying to protect other whales of their species or completely other species from killer whales, apparently 89% of these incidents involved humpback whales protecting other species. It is interesting question why are these animals behaving like they do. Is it an instinct or are they actually sympathetic towards other species?

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Or a grudge against Orcas...

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Originally Posted by Kagemusha

Interesting article from National Geographic.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/...&sf123739159=1

There are over 100 recorded incidents where Humpback whales have been trying to protect other whales of their species or completely other species from killer whales, apparently 89% of these incidents involved humpback whales protecting other species. It is interesting question why are these animals behaving like they do. Is it an instinct or are they actually sympathetic towards other species?

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And they are big enough the orcas can't do much about it. And since they are aggressive towards Orcas, instead of fleeing, then the Orcas certainly won't want to mess with them.

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Originally Posted by Vincent Butler

And they are big enough the orcas can't do much about it. And since they are aggressive towards Orcas, instead of fleeing, then the Orcas certainly won't want to mess with them.

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Orcas are known to attack sperm whales. There's at least one recorded (on camera) instance of humpback whales stopping an orca attack on a sperm whale and her young.

This thread reminds me of Blue Planet II - it's going to be out quite soon on BBC2, this Sunday in fact, which will show some spectacular footage caught in Seychelles. :yes:

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Originally Posted by Pannonian

Orcas are known to attack sperm whales. There's at least one recorded (on camera) instance of humpback whales stopping an orca attack on a sperm whale and her young.

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They (orca's) even attack geat-white, big ones. With the spermwhale they were probably trying to isolate the calves, a grown spermwhale is pretty forminable

@Edyz, owwwww gonna be watching that, Blue Planet was fantastic, such great imagery. Especially the REALLY deepsea creatures are fascinating (and kinda scary bio-machines, stay there)

A bull sperm whale is pretty much immune from killer whale attack, as they are very large and very aggressive towards orcas, though cows and calves are more susceptible. Orcas have been known to take down fin whales (the second largest whale), though they have not yet been known to take down a blue whale, at least not an adult, I don't know about juveniles. The thing is, the humpback is aggressive towards the orcas, whereas the fin whale does not take that approach.

Orcas are quite a bit larger than great white sharks, so no surprise about orcas dominating them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ35XT1siWk

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Originally Posted by Vincent Butler

A bull sperm whale is pretty much immune from killer whale attack, as they are very large and very aggressive towards orcas, though cows and calves are more susceptible. Orcas have been known to take down fin whales (the second largest whale), though they have not yet been known to take down a blue whale, at least not an adult, I don't know about juveniles. The thing is, the humpback is aggressive towards the orcas, whereas the fin whale does not take that approach.

Orcas are quite a bit larger than great white sharks, so no surprise about orcas dominating them.

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As in the documented case of an orca attack on a great white off California, triggering the mass exodus of all the great whites in the region immediately diving deep and heading all the way to Hawaii before coming up again (one of the fleeing great whites had been electronically tagged previously, allowing researchers to keep track of where it was). That the great whites would en masse abandon their favourite feeding ground and only stop a couple of thousand miles away shows how this orca behaviour is recognised by the shark population. It also inspired research into how a single attack would provoke such a strong reaction from a widespread shark population.

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Originally Posted by Kagemusha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ35XT1siWk

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Excuuuuuuuuuse me, but that's MY apex your predating from. Off with you!

Aren't these things magnificant, perfect predators. You would almost forget that it are really intelligent and emotional creatures when you see them killing things

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Aren't these things magnificant, perfect predators. You would almost forget that it are really intelligent and emotional creatures when you see them killing things

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I love discussions about the physics of space and time, hold an earned Ph.D., tear up at some well scripted scenes in movies and television, and cried when my daughter first turned to me moments after her birth.

I also like my steak slightly less then medium rare so I can enjoy the warmed blood taste.


I have always wondered if some of the whales are intelligent to the point of self-awareness etc. Hard to measure with our terrestrial tools.

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Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

I have always wondered if some of the whales are intelligent to the point of self-awareness etc. Hard to measure with our terrestrial tools.

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I have long been of the opinion that those of the dolphin family might be considered semi-sentient. I don't know, it is certain they are among the most intelligent of animals. Of course, I would not say that intelligence and sentience are the same thing, as sentient humans have clearly shown a lack of intelligence~:rolleyes:. However, based on their interaction with humans, I think it safe to say that God designed the dolphin groups to have a special relationship with man out on the seas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEP0sMO-nUQ

These Norwegian Orca are actually hunting herring together with humpback whales. Because this population only eats fish and apparently the humpback whales know that as well.

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Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

I love discussions about the physics of space and time, hold an earned Ph.D., tear up at some well scripted scenes in movies and television, and cried when my daughter first turned to me moments after her birth.

I also like my steak slightly less then medium rare so I can enjoy the warmed blood taste.


I have always wondered if some of the whales are intelligent to the point of self-awareness etc. Hard to measure with our terrestrial tools.

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Dolphins understand mirrors

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Dolphins understand mirrors

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Pity some humans don't.

kewl a new best friend

My hypothesis is that the humpback whales are running a protection racket: you pay them in krill, they beat the crap out of Orcas. Presumably the great white in the video did not pay the protection money, so the humpbacks just stood by while this happened :clown:

Seriously though: it's more likely that the orcas--aggressive as they are--are acting in a manner analogous to humans on land: they're insanely destructive, and may be posing a threat to their persons: they likely figure if they help here, then maybe Willie will starve or be weak, and so won't threaten themselves. Or maybe they think (as I do) that Orcas are of the devil, and so need to be stopped as much as possible, because they are of the devil. :clown:

Aww they just do what they have orca's are incredible creatures. We keep total sociopaths at home, they look so innocent but cats will kill you if they could, they won't help anything, purrfectly equiped to kill everything and they know it

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Aww they just do what they have orca's are incredible creatures. We keep total sociopaths at home, they look so innocent but cats will kill you if they could, they won't help anything, purrfectly equiped to kill everything and they know it

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Cats meow. That's the single biggest evolutionary step they've made since domestication, and one which has led to their phenomenal popularity.

Not a cat person hmmm, why am I not surprised. Cats are fun animals, you never know what they are up to, they are hilariously odd

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Not a cat person hmmm, why am I not surprised. Cats are fun animals, you never know what they are up to, they are hilariously odd

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I'm a cat owner.

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Originally Posted by Pannonian

I'm a cat owner.

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Oh do you, maybe you two can chat up and find out how that works for you

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Oh do you, maybe you two can chat up and find out how that works for you

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He's just lucky his cat allows him internet privileges.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Aww they just do what they have orca's are incredible creatures. We keep total sociopaths at home, they look so innocent but cats will kill you if they could, they won't help anything, purrfectly equiped to kill everything and they know it

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Yeah, if only orcas merely STOPPED at killing things. They don't. Neither do many species of dolphin. Plus they look ridiculous.

Predators don't stop, RU-#M2 the latest model or something? Orca's kill and they are good at it, why stop doing it. They don't look all that rediculous to me, swimming with dolphines fine but orca's are kinda scary, not going to say to them that they look rediculous, I double-dare you to inform them. It will not end well. But go ahead, try it. Hear that sound? That's certain death in water

You misunderstood what I said: That they kill is part of the game of life. I'm saying if they had only been killing things that would be fine.

What I'm referring to is this (spoilers: torture, gangsterism, etc):

https://hubpages.com/education/orcaskill

And seriously, the clown smileys should have told you how seriously I take the whole subject. :laugh4: