About the wisdom of children (part seven)
by firmm Team
Text: Edeltraud Konradt, photos: firmm
There were questions about the attacks of the animals as reported in the media. The orca is both feared and fascinating. Their hunting methods are versatile and clever. But first about the attacks: Yes, they do exist, these interactions with boats. You can read an article about it on our website which was published as a blog in September: The orcas of the season. Fascinating and not at all dangerous.
- the karate strike: is mainly used on sharks and rays and consists of two parts: first, a vortex is created under the prey, which drives it to the surface. This is followed by a targeted hit with the tail fin, which renders the prey unconscious.
- putting out a bait: they simply spit pieces of vomited fish onto the surface of the water and then wait patiently until a bird wants to get the leftovers. Then they just snap at the poor bird.
- utilizing their own endurance: The bluefin tuna is fast and agile. Here the orca uses its stamina to wear the fish out.
- setting a fish carousel in motion: Shoals of fish are divided and driven ever closer together by circling around them. The orcas then wait for the right moment to strike with their tail fins. The sinking fish that are hit are caught by other orcas.
- Snatching from the fishermen's lines: only happens here in the Strait of Gibraltar. Orcas circle the fishing boats until the fishermen have pulled up the tuna hanging on the line to a depth of 25 to 20 meters. Then they dive down and bite the fish from the fishing line. Right under the head, because they have learnt that the hook is in the head and so they would injure themselves on it.
Some general information about the orca:
There are different cultural groups:
Fish eaters and carnivores. The orcas here in the Strait of Gibraltar are fish eaters. As you probably know, they like bluefin tuna..
They are very intelligent and social animals and learn the language of the pack, their hunting techniques and methods. The social rules in the pod include sharing captured food and caring for sick and old members. It is the oldest females that lead such a family.
The children have different questions every year that have not yet been answered:
So I was asked:
Simply put, ships are hollow inside and have a bulbous shape. The shape of the ship (which displaces as much water as the ship itself weighs plus the cargo it is carrying) creates a buoyancy that keeps the boat afloat.
Dolphins have smooth skin with a protective microbial layer. Touching them can destroy it and thus favor diseases. If the skin is torn open (by jewelry or fingernails), infections or bacteria can develop. The risk of disease transmission (e.g. respiratory infections) from humans to dolphins and vice versa is high.The skin of dolphins is also very sensitive due to its nerve endings.
Dolphins are wild animals, not domesticated animals, and should be treated as such. They can be aggressive towards humans and other dolphins, which could result in injury if they are touched.
Yes, unfortunately, it happens sometimes. In May this year, we saw a sperm whale with a wound on its back that was about 40 cm wide and about 15 cm deep, presumably caused by a ship's propeller. In the weeks that followed, we saw it from time to time, but unfortunately its wound deepened and widened over time. At the beginning of June, a dead fin whale washed ashore on the offshore island of Tarifa. The cause of death is not known. Unfortunately, there was also an accident involving a ferry that ran over a sperm whale. The whale suffered such severe injuries that it died.
Yes, they can. The sperm whale, for example, vomits ambergris. The indigestible parts such as the beaks of squid and octopus are embedded in the ambergris. The intestines of individual sperm whales can contain up to 400 kg of ambergris. Such quantities lead to intestinal obstruction, which can result in the death of the animals. If the sperm whale vomits this lump of ambergris, it can drift in the oceans for many years until it is washed ashore. (Source: Wikipedia)
Whale faeces is unique in the animal kingdom. It is pink to bright orange in colour and tends to be liquid, forming cloud-like veils on the water. And they also must fart, because excess gases also must escape in marine mammals. By the way, whale farts also make a noise.
Whale faeces are a good fertiliser for the oceans and are also good for our planet. The faeces help the phytoplankton to grow. The more phytoplankton there is in the sea, the more CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and the more oxygen is produced.