Re:Orcas have learned how to drown great white sharks
by runeks on Saturday November 18, 2017 @01:44PM
(#15730103)
Good question. But according to this map[1] there should be plenty of beaches where orcas and humans might encounter each other.
Given that orcas are able to learn how to drown white sharks, and catch birds by baiting with fish, couldn’t it just be that they have learned not to hunt humans, as they’ve experienced retaliation in the past? I’m pretty sure pre-historic humans would somehow retaliate if an orca grabbed a child from the beach and, because of that, it would make sense if orcas have simply learned not to do this.
[1] https://dailyzooniverse.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/killerwh...
Re:Orcas have learned how to drown great white sharks
by thewayfarer on Saturday November 18, 2017 @01:05PM
(#15729978)
Orcas do have large populations near Antartica, Norway, and Alaska, but they also have large populations along the American West Coast, Mexico, and Australia. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility has some good maps of observation recordings around the world for these two species.
Orcas - https://www.gbif.org/species/2440483
Great white sharks - https://www.gbif.org/species/2420694
Re:Orcas have learned how to drown great white sharks
by frankmcsherry on Saturday November 18, 2017 @01:49PM
(#15730124)
There is a surf spot in Morocco (Killers) named for the Orcas spotted there. They apparently show up periodically. Water is plenty warm.
That would be warmer 50F==10C. Anecdotally, I have only seen or heard of people seeing Orca in the PNW and Arctic where swimming without a wet/dry suit is not only uncomfortable, but deadly.
Great White shark populations OTOH are concentrated in some of the most popular and temperate swimming areas in the world. Certainly, they are everywhere I have ever been swimming/diving.
http://voices.nationalgeographic.org/files/2013/02/1104_0729...