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Really don’t buy the “this is a rogue pod of juvenile orcas that are just playing.” The fact they seem to deliberately target the rudder first in most of these

Really don’t buy the “this is a rogue pod of juvenile orcas that are just playing.” The fact they seem to deliberately target the rudder first in most of these attacks doesn’t really seem like “play” it seems like an intent to do damage. Why? Who knows, we haven’t figured out how to communicate with them.

moomin 2y ago
The idea that what they’re doing is deliberately destructive and the idea that they’re playing are not mutually exclusive.
- scrumper 2y ago
  Yes exactly. Teenage humans frequently do monumentally stupid and destructive stuff because they're bored or want to impress peers. Everything on a continuum from egging and TP'ing houses to keying cars, graffiti/tagging, breaking windows on abandoned buildings, shoplifting, vandalizing public structures, breaking into cars, stealing cars and joyriding, to actual gang murder.
  - dmix 2y ago
    Humans don't handle news story with neutral actors well. We're very conditioned to expect motivated overtly good/bad characters in all stories so people don't handle the possibility well that some things are just agents of chaos. Similar to the recent assassination attempt.
tossandthrow 2y ago
> Why? Why any species with the slightest ability to memorize would (counter)attack humans? One can only wonder. Humans are not particularly known to treat wildlife that well.
keepamovin 2y ago
Yeah. I don't think we can ascribe harmless benevolent animal motivations to them. Orcas have much larger brains than us. They're apex predators, aggressive physically and sexually. It's likely that this type of behavior is like a hoodlum gang. I'm all for animals. I just don't think you need to be "animal behaviorist apologists" for anything. People who always blame humans / explain away animal behaviors under some mistaken ideal that animals are always good, humans are at fault.
Ekaros 2y ago
When you look at ships undersides or near water line in general there really isn't that many interesting parts. With sailing yacht you have keel and rudder, maybe propeller. Hitting keel doesn't do that much, but rudder can offer interesting tactile feedback. Kids love to break things, why don't same go for animals. Same with humans, with animal what is interesting? The big blob at middle or tangly bits like ears or tail?

moomin 2y ago

The idea that what they’re doing is deliberately destructive and the idea that they’re playing are not mutually exclusive.

scrumper 2y ago
Yes exactly. Teenage humans frequently do monumentally stupid and destructive stuff because they're bored or want to impress peers. Everything on a continuum from egging and TP'ing houses to keying cars, graffiti/tagging, breaking windows on abandoned buildings, shoplifting, vandalizing public structures, breaking into cars, stealing cars and joyriding, to actual gang murder.
- dmix 2y ago
  Humans don't handle news story with neutral actors well. We're very conditioned to expect motivated overtly good/bad characters in all stories so people don't handle the possibility well that some things are just agents of chaos. Similar to the recent assassination attempt.

tossandthrow 2y ago

> Why? Why any species with the slightest ability to memorize would (counter)attack humans? One can only wonder. Humans are not particularly known to treat wildlife that well.

keepamovin 2y ago

Yeah. I don't think we can ascribe harmless benevolent animal motivations to them. Orcas have much larger brains than us. They're apex predators, aggressive physically and sexually. It's likely that this type of behavior is like a hoodlum gang. I'm all for animals. I just don't think you need to be "animal behaviorist apologists" for anything. People who always blame humans / explain away animal behaviors under some mistaken ideal that animals are always good, humans are at fault.

Ekaros 2y ago

When you look at ships undersides or near water line in general there really isn't that many interesting parts. With sailing yacht you have keel and rudder, maybe propeller. Hitting keel doesn't do that much, but rudder can offer interesting tactile feedback. Kids love to break things, why don't same go for animals. Same with humans, with animal what is interesting? The big blob at middle or tangly bits like ears or tail?