• Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • DMCA
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
TheGreatNews.com
  • Home
  • MINDSET
  • WELL BEING
  • POSITIVE NEWS
  • WISDOM
  • PURPOSE
  • NEW TECHNOLOGIES
  • More Topics
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • GREEN ENERGIES
    • SUCCESS
    • GOOD LIFE
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • MINDSET
  • WELL BEING
  • POSITIVE NEWS
  • WISDOM
  • PURPOSE
  • NEW TECHNOLOGIES
  • More Topics
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • GREEN ENERGIES
    • SUCCESS
    • GOOD LIFE
No Result
View All Result
TheGreatNews.com
No Result
View All Result

Shark or Orca: Which Should You Fear More?

in WELL BEING
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Shark or Orca: Which Should You Fear More?
Share Share Share Share Share

Related articles

The Convenience Of Live Plant Delivery: Bringing Nature To Your Doorstep

Functional Massage: A Holistic Approach To Wellness

In the wild, is a human more likely to survive an encounter with an orca or a great white shark?

— Kameryn F., Yardley, Pa.

By the numbers, white sharks are a lot more dangerous to humans than orcas are. Despite the name “killer whale,” there’s only one well-documented instance of a wild orca attacking someone — Hans Kretschmer, who was bitten on the leg while surfing in California in 1972. Attacks by white sharks, although still rare, happen quite a bit more often; there are several hundred on record.

So why are killer whale attacks so rare? Emma Luck, a marine-mammal researcher at the University of Alaska, told me that a big part of it is just that orcas don’t encounter humans as often. “Killer whales are found in all oceans, but they tend to be found in higher densities around cold, high-latitude regions,” she wrote in a message. “These are areas where the water is not particularly inviting for the average beachgoer!”

She said the 1972 orca attack was probably a case of mistaken identity, as is the case with many shark attacks. “In an open water context, where all parties can view each other clearly, I would wager that both the shark and the killer whale are going to leave you alone,” she said.

In fact, you don’t have to spend long browsing police blotters to confirm that not only are killer whale attacks rarer than shark attacks, they are also rarer than documented cases of swimmers being attacked and bitten by other humans. Granted, that’s because there are a lot more humans than orcas around, but that doesn’t change the conclusion: In the ocean, you’re more likely to be attacked and bitten by a person than by a killer whale.

Because sharks and orcas both spend most of their time hidden underwater, we often think of them in terms of their brief interactions with us — will they attack us or not? If the only two options are “Don’t attack the human” and “Attack the human,” it’s hard not to focus on the second one. After all, it’s the second most likely option!

But sharks and orcas aren’t just hanging out down there deciding whether to attack us. Like the humans you pass on the street, they are mostly busy doing their own thing.

And in the case of orcas, one of the things they’re busy doing is worrying about humpback whales.

For reasons that are unclear to scientists, humpback whales almost seem to have a vendetta against killer whales, as a 2016 paper in the journal Marine Mammal Science noted. All over the world, orcas trying to chase down food are routinely interrupted by out-of-the-blue humpback whale attacks. Humpbacks will band together and travel great distances to intervene in killer whale hunts, regardless of what the prey species is.

The paper even documents cases of humpback whales seemingly lifting seals up out of the water and holding them out of reach of the orcas. The humpbacks stayed and protected the prey for hours, until the orcas were forced to go away hungry.

Why do humpbacks do this? Is this altruism? Game theory? Cross-mammal solidarity? A side-effect of their instinct to protect calves? Or do they just really hate orcas, for reasons known only to them?

“It’s hard to understand why it happens,” Ms. Luck said. “Especially because it’s not limited to just one population of humpbacks. It happens all over the world.”

So if you do encounter a killer whale in the ocean, don’t worry, it’s unlikely to attack you. And if you’re still worried … perhaps consider befriending a humpback.

Credit: Source link

ShareTweetSendPinShare
Previous Post

‘Frustration and Stress’: State Officials Fault Rollout of Monkeypox Vaccine

Next Post

Microsoft finally admits Xbox One sales were less than half of the PS4

Related Posts

The Convenience Of Live Plant Delivery: Bringing Nature To Your Doorstep

The Convenience Of Live Plant Delivery: Bringing Nature To Your Doorstep

May 12, 2023

The modern world has brought about a significant change in the way people live their lives. With the advent of technology and social media, people are...

Functional Massage: A Holistic Approach To Wellness

Functional Massage: A Holistic Approach To Wellness

May 12, 2023

Massage therapy has been used for centuries as a form of healing and relaxation. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in functional massage,...

Top Carrier Accessories You Should Invest In Today

Top Carrier Accessories You Should Invest In Today

May 12, 2023

communication and work, the importance of having a reliable carrier has never been greater. However, simply owning a good quality carrier is not enough to ensure...

Navigating the Challenges and Joys of Giving Birth Abroad

Navigating the Challenges and Joys of Giving Birth Abroad

April 19, 2023

Giving birth abroad can be both challenging and rewarding. On the one hand, it can be a difficult and stressful experience to navigate a foreign healthcare...

vacation

Living Your Best Life: How Vacation Can Enhance Your Lifestyle

April 5, 2023

Vacation is an important aspect of enhancing one's lifestyle and overall well-being. Taking time away from the daily routine can help reduce stress, improve mental health,...

Next Post
Microsoft finally admits Xbox One sales were less than half of the PS4

Microsoft finally admits Xbox One sales were less than half of the PS4

Police Officer Gives Elderly Woman a Ride to Her Hair Appointment

Police Officer Gives Elderly Woman a Ride to Her Hair Appointment

Growing green cities: the Dutch expo that shows you how

Growing green cities: the Dutch expo that shows you how

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Weekly Updates

No Content Available
TheGreatNews.com

This is an online news portal that aims to provide the latest updates about mindset, well being, positive news, wisdom, purpose, new technologies, entrepreneur, green energy, success, good life and stuff like that around the world. Feel free to get in touch with us!

© 2023 - TheGreatNews.com - All rights reserved!

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • DMCA
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • MINDSET
  • WELL BEING
  • POSITIVE NEWS
  • WISDOM
  • PURPOSE
  • NEW TECHNOLOGIES
  • More Topics
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • GREEN ENERGIES
    • SUCCESS
    • GOOD LIFE

© 2023 - TheGreatNews.com - All rights reserved!