ArmorPierce wrote:Well megamouth sharks are relatives peaceful if I recall correctly. That sperm whale must have been an asshole.
That or they knew it was easy prey and pretty much entirely defenseless? I doubt they'd have declined to eat it. I don't know where everyone's getting the idea that they were just bullying the shark.
The problem is that I don't think they can tear chunks up and actually eat the shark. IIRC, they swallow giant squid whole.
You're probably right. I'm just pissed they're frittering away their efforts on bullying a plankton eater when their species is dwindling in numbers.
And to add to the list of species known to bully others, rogue elephants in wildlife park in Africa were the cause of as many as 50 fatal rhino gorings. Once older bull male elephants were introduced to the park, though, the "gangs" of young orphans settled into place and rhino gorings ceased. I wonder what causes animals with noted intelligence to do this?
TithonusSyndrome wrote:
That or they knew it was easy prey and pretty much entirely defenseless? I doubt they'd have declined to eat it. I don't know where everyone's getting the idea that they were just bullying the shark.
The problem is that I don't think they can tear chunks up and actually eat the shark. IIRC, they swallow giant squid whole.
You're probably right. I'm just pissed they're frittering away their efforts on bullying a plankton eater when their species is dwindling in numbers.
And to add to the list of species known to bully others, rogue elephants in wildlife park in Africa were the cause of as many as 50 fatal rhino gorings. Once older bull male elephants were introduced to the park, though, the "gangs" of young orphans settled into place and rhino gorings ceased. I wonder what causes animals with noted intelligence to do this?
Lack of authority figures and a breakdown of social structure, combined with high levels of aggression-enhancing hormones?
This seems kind of reminiscent of gang violence in humans.
Flagg wrote:
The problem is that I don't think they can tear chunks up and actually eat the shark. IIRC, they swallow giant squid whole.
You're probably right. I'm just pissed they're frittering away their efforts on bullying a plankton eater when their species is dwindling in numbers.
And to add to the list of species known to bully others, rogue elephants in wildlife park in Africa were the cause of as many as 50 fatal rhino gorings. Once older bull male elephants were introduced to the park, though, the "gangs" of young orphans settled into place and rhino gorings ceased. I wonder what causes animals with noted intelligence to do this?
Lack of authority figures and a breakdown of social structure, combined with high levels of aggression-enhancing hormones?
This seems kind of reminiscent of gang violence in humans.
The was a purely artifical situation. The elephants were all introduced at a young age to an area without adult elephants. As the males aged they go into a testosterone overdrive that makes them incedibly aggressive.
This is where the problem begins. The young males do not leave this state until they are beaten down by an older stronger male. The ass whipping makes them come out of their testosterone rage.
But there were no older males in the range so the younger ones rampaged much more than they normally would.
Rangers eventually figured it out and added some older males who quickly bitch-slapped the younger males and the problem was solved.
