Who is more likely to survive in the wild if they encounter a killer whale or a great white shark?
— Kameryn F., Yardley, Pennsylvania
According to the numbers, great white sharks are far more dangerous to humans than killer whales. Despite the name “killer whale”, there is only one well-documented example of a wild killer whale attacking someone. Hans KretschmerIn 1972 my leg was bitten while surfing in California. Attacks by great white sharks, while still rare, occur fairly frequently.there are hundreds on record.
So why are killer whale attacks so rare? Emma Luck, a marine mammal researcher at the University of Alaska, told me it’s largely because killer whales don’t encounter humans that often. “Whale killer whales are found in all oceans, but tend to be denser in cold, high-latitude areas,” she wrote in the message. “These are areas where the water isn’t particularly appealing to the average beachgoer!”
She said the 1972 killer whale attack, as is the case with many shark attacks, was probably due to a mistake in identity. So I bet both the shark and the killer whale will leave you alone,” she said.
In fact, it took police blotters a long time to confirm that killer whale attacks were not only rarer than shark attacks, but also rarer than documented cases of swimmers being attacked or bitten. No need to browse for hours. other humanSure, that’s because there are far more humans than killer whales around, but that doesn’t change the conclusion. In the ocean, you are more likely to be attacked or bitten by humans than by killer whales.
Both sharks and killer whales spend most of their time hiding in the water, so we often think of them in terms of their short interactions with us. “Do not attack humans” and “attack humans” When he has only two options, he can’t help but focus on the second option. After all, this is his second most likely option.
But sharks and killer whales aren’t just deciding whether or not to attack us. Like the people you pass on the street, they’re mostly busy doing their own thing.
For killer whales, one of the things they keep busy is worrying about humpback whales.
For reasons unknown to scientists, humpback whales seem to have a vendetta against killer whales. A 2016 paper in the journal Marine Mammal Science OK. Around the world, killer whales attempting to chase food are regularly interrupted by sudden humpback attacks. Humpback whales band together to travel long distances and intervene in killer whale hunting, regardless of the type of prey.
The paper also documented a case in which a humpback whale appeared to lift a seal out of the water and hold it out of the killer whale’s reach. The humpback whale guarded its prey for hours until the killer whale left hungry.
Why do humpback whales do this? Is this altruism? game theory? Solidarity among mammals? A side effect of the calf-protective instinct? Or do they really hate killer whales for reasons only they know about?
“It’s hard to understand why that happens,” said Luck. “Especially because he’s not confined to one group of humpback whales. It’s happening all over the world.”
So if you encounter a killer whale at sea, don’t worry. It is very unlikely that you will be attacked. If you’re still worried… consider making friends with a humpback whale.
