[Sandra]

I watched this on Nat Geo last night.

I think it was the December edition of BBC Wildlife which had an article about a killer whale killing a great white shark off the coast of California. Well this programme had the video footage, eye witness interviews and expert opinion and it was extremely interesting.

At first it was thought that the killer whale in question, CA2, was protecting her calf from the shark. It transpired, however, that CA2 does not have a calf and that the attack on the great white was deliberate. In fact, the pod to which CA2 belongs is a right rowdy bunch that's covered in scars and obviously encounters sharks on a regular basis.

The programme showed how killer whales learn different techniques for hunting different prey and pass the know-how on to their young. CA2's pod has obviously figured out how to render sharks immobile.

Also discussed was the fact that, after the attack, all of the great whites vanished. There was another attack a few years later and the sharks scarpered again. This time one of them had a tag on and, when it detached from the shark and bobbed up to the surface to relay it's data, the marine biologists were able to see where it had gone.

It seems that almost immediately after the attack Tip Fin (the tagged shark) fled over the edge of the continental shelf, dived several hundred meters down and fled for Hawaii. The upshot of that is that it is thought that the smell of their own dead is enough to send great whites streaking for the horizon.

It was a very interesting and absorbing programme and I'd highly recommend it.

One point that occurred to me, but which wasn't explored in the programme, is that CA2 and the other whale had killed and eaten a sea lion a couple of hours before CA2 killed the shark [i]but had stayed in the immediate area.[/i] The shark was probably attracted to the area by the smell of the dead sea lion. I started wondering had the whales killed the sea lion [i]knowing[/i] that doing so would attract a great white that they could then kill.

If they did then they've learned a lot more than the fact that shark liver makes good eating and that sharks are relatively easy for them to kill.....and that's kind of scary.

What's even more scary is what would happen if they start figuring the same things about us.

[Sandra]

There's a link to the Nat Geo wesbite here.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchannel.nationalgeographic.com%2Fseries%2Fnature-untamed%2F4669%2FOverview&ei=u7AxTIjrHKb40wTXi5SeAw&usg=AFQjCNFDD6sUxTBr8ssMd6bOHozjAr9J5g

You can read an overview of the programme and see footage and photographs by clicking on the appropriate links.

[Michael T]

Death by killer whale invasion.... Creepy

[Hawk_Eye]

Hey Sandra. You're right it was in an issue of BBC Wildlife recently. Found the article absolutely fascinating, although I did miss the show last night.

By all accounts there have been no, at least none reported, accounts of Killer Whales attacking people. As they come from the dolphin family they are highly intelligent which would partially explain the attacks. If they did use the dead seal to attract the shark and then ambushed said shark that shows a highly developed sense of awareness and problem solving. Absolutely fascinating.

[Sandra]

Oh it'll be repeated I'm sure. You'll just need to keep an eye to the schedules.

It'd be some craic if they did find put what they've been missing in us and start chasing us up the beaches, wouldn't it? [:D]

[Hawk_Eye]

Wouldn't have a chance in open water but I reckon you'd have a better chance in shallow water. We're quicker than seals and sealions on land at least the average human should be.

[Sandra]

Would you volunteer to test your theory? [:D]

I think that people at the beach would display the same naivety as seal and sealion pups. Plus said pups aren't loaded with ice cream and chips and playing with buckets and spades. Then there are those who think ceteceans are there to be swum out to and "communed" with....[:D]

It'd certainly put an end to my bodyboarding! [:-]

Seriously though, if fish stocks crashed and depleted the orcas food supply I wonder what they'd turn to next.

[Hawk_Eye]

Absolutely! [:D] Quick sprint, 10-20metres should be enough, turn round and blow raspberries at it [:D]

I think that people at the beach would display the same naivety as seal and sealion pups. Plus said pups aren't loaded with ice cream and chips and playing with buckets and spades.

In that case if the hypothetical situation were to occur just make sure you're near someone slower than you [;)]

Then there are those who think ceteceans are there to be swum out to and "communed" with....

I maintain the belief that those people are just asking for trouble. Just because a creature is usually docile doesn't mean that it won't have a grumpy day. We, people, have this innate ability to push the boundaries a bit too far at times.

It'd certainly put an end to my bodyboarding!

One word, Jetski! [;)]

[dodger]

I seem to remember this! I believe the orca female is renowned for killing sharks and forces them onto their back which evedently hypnotises them somehow, if that makes sence? And on another program showing that sharks do not like the smell of their own dead!
found one of many links on this, not sure how it will play as the internet conection where I am is poor so hope this is the right one?
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8GaDuCvYbE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8GaDuCvYbE[/url]

[Coelacanth]

ORIGINAL: Hawk_Eye
Absolutely! [:D] Quick sprint, 10-20metres should be enough, turn round and blow raspberries at it [:D]

Please feel free to film yourself trying to sprint 20 metres in knee-deep water, then post it on here to show us [;)].