Has a whale shark ever saved a human?
Marine biologist Nan Hauser says a 50,000lb (22,700kg) humpback whale protected her from a tiger shark during a recent research expedition in the Cook Islands. She believes it could be the first case on record of a humpback protecting a human.
Who is Nan Hauser?
Nan Hauser is the President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research and Conservation. Her home base is in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, where she is the Principal Investigator for the Cook Islands Whale Research Project and Director of the Cook Islands Whale & Wildlife Centre.
How do humpback whales protect themselves from sharks?
The primary defense mechanism of a whale is its tail. A humpback whale can scare or injure a predator with the tail. Like dolphins, whales can also use their head to scare away predators and other marine enemies.
Do orcas protect humans?
Killer whales have also helped humans hunt. There were also stories of fishermen falling into the shark-infested waters when their boats were swamped by a humpback and Tom and other orcas warding the sharks off and saving their partners’ lives.
What is the study of dolphins called?
Cetology (from Greek κῆτος, kētos, “whale”; and -λογία, -logia) or whalelore (also known as whaleology) is the branch of marine mammal science that studies the approximately eighty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoise in the scientific order Cetacea.
Do dolphins save humans from sharks?
Sharks are solitary predators, whereas dolphins travel in groups called pods. Whenever a member of the group is in danger from a shark, the rest of the pod rushes in to defend their buddy. Dolphins have even been known to protect humans in danger of sharks.
What’s the third biggest shark in the world?
Largest extant fish
| Rank | Animal | Binomial Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whale shark | Rhincodon typus |
| 2 | Basking shark | Cetorhinus maximus |
| 3 | Great white shark | Carcharodon carcharias |
| 4 | Tiger shark | Galeocerdo cuvier |
What are predators to humpback whales?
Predators of humpbacks include killer whales, false killer whales, and large sharks; there have been very few documented attacks by these predators on humpback whales, including calves.