4 ms·

Beluga whale retrieves cell phone, returns it to tourist [video]

59 points by evo_9 7y ago

kodz4 7y ago
Thats awesome. Reminded me of the Russian Beluga story https://www.livescience.com/65359-beluga-whale-russian-spy.html https://www.livescience.com/65359-beluga-whale-russian-spy.h...
- jacobush 7y ago
  From what I understand, it's the same whale. (Not joking.)
  - Spare_account 7y ago
    Where/how did you gain this understanding?
    - runeb 7y ago
      This specific whale is famous in Norway Edit: Found an English article on it here https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-named-hvaldimir/ https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-name...
      - codezero 7y ago
        It’s a bummer an animal was used the way he was, but very pleasant the locals have embraced him :)
PaulHoule 7y ago
I bet it is trained to do that sort of thing.
- runeb 7y ago
  It is! It has been trained by (probably) the Russian Navy. It escaped and now lives in Norway. https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-named-hvaldimir/ https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-name...
wallace_f 7y ago
The instinct to want to help seems normal, natural; and examples such as this even seem to serve as a tool for reflection for the face of the modern state of humanity.
- agumonkey 7y ago
  right in time to debate specism I'm sure it's a conspiracy from the sea life lobby
- MichaelApproved 7y ago
  Perhaps but don't draw any conclusions from this animal because it's been trained by humans. Its behavior is not natural.
- sandworm101 7y ago
  Or perhaps the animal is so under-stimulated that it is trying to get a repeat on something it finds interesting. It could be just trying to reset the situation in hopes that it will happen again.
- lm28469 7y ago
  https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Anthropomorphism https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Anthropomorphism
  - w0utert 7y ago
    I always wonder why it sometimes seems that any kind of animal behavior that resembles human behavior needs to be rationalized away as anthropomorphism. Is it really that far-fetched to assume animals share at least some emotions and behaviors with humans? In the end, many forms of human behavior and emotions evolved over a long long time, and way before language and culture. Why could a Beluga whale not have also evolved behavior and emotions resembling altruism, for example?
    - lm28469 7y ago
      I'm sure some animals have behaviours similar to our altruism. I just don't buy that particular example as a proof of : > The instinct to want to help seems normal, natural; and examples such as this even seem to serve as a tool for reflection for the face of the modern state of humanity.
quirkot 7y ago
And the tourist didn't throw it again? At least one of these two knows how to play fetch
amiga-workbench 7y ago
"Keep your plastic trash out of my ocean!"
jeremydeanlakey 7y ago
More direct link without all the ads and clutter: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxFlIZpAT7a/?utm_source=ig_embed https://www.instagram.com/p/BxFlIZpAT7a/?utm_source=ig_embed
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
towb 7y ago
I want one! D: No but... Not sure I could stay in the boat if this happened, there's something with these animals that makes you want to be in there with them. Head says "it's snowing and freezing cold..." body just dives in.
redder2 7y ago
And the human instinct is immediately commercialize it with some group that is probably going out and filing lawsuits on some kids reposing this, its just a guess I do now nothing about them ...
usrusr 7y ago
But which brand of waterproof smartphone is it? There's a bug in the viral ad.
- jacobush 7y ago
  iPhone

59 points by evo_9 7y ago

Thats awesome. Reminded me of the Russian Beluga story https://www.livescience.com/65359-beluga-whale-russian-spy.html https://www.livescience.com/65359-beluga-whale-russian-spy.h...

jacobush 7y ago
From what I understand, it's the same whale. (Not joking.)
- Spare_account 7y ago
  Where/how did you gain this understanding?
  - runeb 7y ago
    This specific whale is famous in Norway Edit: Found an English article on it here https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-named-hvaldimir/ https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-name...
    - codezero 7y ago
      It’s a bummer an animal was used the way he was, but very pleasant the locals have embraced him :)

PaulHoule 7y ago

I bet it is trained to do that sort of thing.

runeb 7y ago
It is! It has been trained by (probably) the Russian Navy. It escaped and now lives in Norway. https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-named-hvaldimir/ https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/05/03/white-whale-now-name...

wallace_f 7y ago

The instinct to want to help seems normal, natural; and examples such as this even seem to serve as a tool for reflection for the face of the modern state of humanity.

agumonkey 7y ago
right in time to debate specism I'm sure it's a conspiracy from the sea life lobby
MichaelApproved 7y ago
Perhaps but don't draw any conclusions from this animal because it's been trained by humans. Its behavior is not natural.
sandworm101 7y ago
Or perhaps the animal is so under-stimulated that it is trying to get a repeat on something it finds interesting. It could be just trying to reset the situation in hopes that it will happen again.
lm28469 7y ago
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Anthropomorphism https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Anthropomorphism
- w0utert 7y ago
  I always wonder why it sometimes seems that any kind of animal behavior that resembles human behavior needs to be rationalized away as anthropomorphism. Is it really that far-fetched to assume animals share at least some emotions and behaviors with humans? In the end, many forms of human behavior and emotions evolved over a long long time, and way before language and culture. Why could a Beluga whale not have also evolved behavior and emotions resembling altruism, for example?
  - lm28469 7y ago
    I'm sure some animals have behaviours similar to our altruism. I just don't buy that particular example as a proof of : > The instinct to want to help seems normal, natural; and examples such as this even seem to serve as a tool for reflection for the face of the modern state of humanity.

quirkot 7y ago

And the tourist didn't throw it again? At least one of these two knows how to play fetch

amiga-workbench 7y ago

"Keep your plastic trash out of my ocean!"

jeremydeanlakey 7y ago

More direct link without all the ads and clutter: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxFlIZpAT7a/?utm_source=ig_embed https://www.instagram.com/p/BxFlIZpAT7a/?utm_source=ig_embed

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

towb 7y ago

I want one! D: No but... Not sure I could stay in the boat if this happened, there's something with these animals that makes you want to be in there with them. Head says "it's snowing and freezing cold..." body just dives in.

redder2 7y ago

And the human instinct is immediately commercialize it with some group that is probably going out and filing lawsuits on some kids reposing this, its just a guess I do now nothing about them ...

usrusr 7y ago

But which brand of waterproof smartphone is it? There's a bug in the viral ad.

jacobush 7y ago
iPhone