Post #3048360
2025-08-03 15:04 UTC
Some scientists believe this behavior started as a protective instinct – evolved to defend their own calves – and is now being applied to any creature in distress. Others think it may point to complex social awareness or empathy in humpbacks, something we’re only beginning to understand.
As one researcher put it: “It’s almost as if humpbacks just don’t like bullies.”
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Replies (2)
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@paninid@mastodon.world 2025-08-03 15:04
These whales have even been seen traveling long distances just to intervene. One report described humpbacks swimming for hours to reach a killer whale attack, only to chase the orcas off and then disappear into the deep again. Are these acts of instinct, emotion, or something we can’t yet explain? We don’t know. But in a world where survival often means silence, the humpback’s defiance is loud, deliberate, and extraordinary. (5/6)
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@UweHalfHand@norcal.social 2025-08-03 22:56
@paninid@mastodon.world That was pretty much my first thought: they don’t like assholes. And orcas can certainly be that, even when they’re not hunting…