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Well, there is a constant flow of small boats crossing from Africa to Spain and Italy carrying illegal immigrants, and they sometimes capsize, or some are throw

Well, there is a constant flow of small boats crossing from Africa to Spain and Italy carrying illegal immigrants, and they sometimes capsize, or some are thrown overboard either dead[1] or alive[2] by their fellow travelers. [1] https://elpais.com/espana/2020-08-07/se-les-acabo-el-agua-tiraban-los-cadaveres-por-la-borda.html https://elpais.com/espana/2020-08-07/se-les-acabo-el-agua-ti... [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32337725 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32337725 That would give them plenty of opportunity to learn the connection between boats and food. However, the article notes that they do not attack the people, but the boats: “In these and all other known cases, the mammals ignored the humans who took to life rafts; it was the boats that attracted their ire.”

trhway 6y ago
> ignored the humans who took to life rafts; it was the boats that attracted their ire. the sailboats have a streamlined "displacement" underwater body which naturally - due to optimizing for the same hydrodynamic laws - resembles large mammal body. With the stressed ecosystem - in particular lack of food to the extent threatening the very survival - attacking of your perceived competitor becomes the logical last available option.
tomxor 6y ago
> That would give them plenty of opportunity to learn the connection between boats and food. The second half of the article is far more revealing, it details the state of the relationship between fishing, tourism and orcas in the Straits of Gibraltar - painting a particularly stark picture of the impact humans have had on obliterating their primary food source and dominating that area with noisy boats, their dwindling population and direct harm caused by fishing nets and hooks as they struggle to survive by picking fish from the nets instead. If accurate it seems far more likely any animal capable of drawing a relationships between boats and other events would make the reverse relationship you are suggesting (boats steal all their food, hurt them directly, kill their young)... If I were an Orca I'd find it hard to believe I wouldn't be knocking over smaller boats out of desperation as their local population has almost vanished (30 adults last estimate). Perhaps I'm wrong and their ability to reason on larger scales of time and space are not sufficient, but i'm pretty sure they are smart enough to know a boat is not edible - shaking humans off for food seems like a stretch but possible given they are pretty much starving, i will give you that.
- me_me_me 6y ago
  It was observed that orcas (in captivity) are capable of long term planning. Saving food, and later using it as bait to catch sea gulls. They work in teams in a truly impressive manner. They teach their young the skills of their pods. If I were to bet orcas are second smartest species on this planet.

trhway 6y ago

> ignored the humans who took to life rafts; it was the boats that attracted their ire. the sailboats have a streamlined "displacement" underwater body which naturally - due to optimizing for the same hydrodynamic laws - resembles large mammal body. With the stressed ecosystem - in particular lack of food to the extent threatening the very survival - attacking of your perceived competitor becomes the logical last available option.

tomxor 6y ago

> That would give them plenty of opportunity to learn the connection between boats and food. The second half of the article is far more revealing, it details the state of the relationship between fishing, tourism and orcas in the Straits of Gibraltar - painting a particularly stark picture of the impact humans have had on obliterating their primary food source and dominating that area with noisy boats, their dwindling population and direct harm caused by fishing nets and hooks as they struggle to survive by picking fish from the nets instead. If accurate it seems far more likely any animal capable of drawing a relationships between boats and other events would make the reverse relationship you are suggesting (boats steal all their food, hurt them directly, kill their young)... If I were an Orca I'd find it hard to believe I wouldn't be knocking over smaller boats out of desperation as their local population has almost vanished (30 adults last estimate). Perhaps I'm wrong and their ability to reason on larger scales of time and space are not sufficient, but i'm pretty sure they are smart enough to know a boat is not edible - shaking humans off for food seems like a stretch but possible given they are pretty much starving, i will give you that.

me_me_me 6y ago
It was observed that orcas (in captivity) are capable of long term planning. Saving food, and later using it as bait to catch sea gulls. They work in teams in a truly impressive manner. They teach their young the skills of their pods. If I were to bet orcas are second smartest species on this planet.