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Killer whales leave porpoises for dead
Vancouver, British Columbia (UPI) Oct 10, 2009 Wildlife experts say they're trying to determine why fish-eating killer whales roughed up harbor porpoises and left them for dead off British Columbia. Two incidents were observed within the past month, one off Washington state and the other in British Columbia's Strait of Georgia, The Vancouver Sun reported Saturday. While biologists see whales kill porpoises locally about twice a year, the actual number of porpoises killed is probably higher, said John Ford, a whale expert with Canada's federal fisheries department. One theory is that the killer whales see the porpoises as an opportunity for play -- a "cat and mouse" game with deadly consequences, the Sun reported. Another theory is the whales are trying to prop up the porpoises as they do with their own young, though the porpoises ultimately succumb to shock, injury, exhaustion or death, Ford said. "It could be a maternal-driven behavior that is misdirected toward another species," Ford said. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Follow the Whaling Debate
Iceland plans huge whale meat export to Japan: firmReykjavik (AFP) Sept 25, 2009 Iceland's fin whaling company said on Friday it plans a huge export of about 1,500 tonnes of whale meat, mainly to Japan, after wrapping up its hunting season for this year. Kristjan Loftsson, boss of company Hvalur, said the firm brought ashore 125 fin whales this season following a huge rise in the number of animals they were allowed to catch. Last year the whalers were permitted to ... read more |
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