As if whales needed help getting any cooler than they already are, Michael Noonan, a professor of animal behavior at Canisius College in Buffalo, has observed an Orca (Killer Whale) setting a trap for seagulls:

First, the young whale spit regurgitated fish onto the surface of the water, then sank below the water and waited.

If a hungry gull landed on the water, the whale would surge up to the surface, sometimes catching a free meal of his own.

Noonan watched as the same whale set the same trap again and again.

Pretty cool, right? It gets better, because he taught his little brother how to do it, too:

Within a few months, the whale's younger half brother adopted the practice. Eventually the behavior spread and now five Marineland whales supplement their diet with fresh fowl, the scientist said.

"It looked liked one was watching while the other tried,'' Noonan said of the whale's initial behavior.

I, for one, welcome our new seagull trap-setting killer whale overlords.

Bi11yB1uenose

USA

March 2004

SEP 09, 2005 08:04 AM

Does this undo the damage done by "Free Willy?"

This news plus a re-release of "Orca" and sharks will be pissing where they swim.

Micah

Covington, KY

April 2003

SEP 09, 2005 08:04 AM

They still don't have oposable thumbs.

HAHA!

Liante

SUICIDEGIRL

Kiribati

SEP 09, 2005 08:19 AM

That's pretty cool. Ever since watching the "Blue Planet" documentary series, I've wondered why more fish (and marine mammals) didn't eat birds, especially when some of those suckers are diving 50' or more into the water. Now I can rest satisfied that some of them do.

masseffection

Atlanta, GA

October 2002

SEP 09, 2005 08:56 AM

Yay, orcas! They're one of my favourite things in the wold, and this just makes me admire them more, hehe.

Lior

United Kingdom

August 2005

SEP 09, 2005 09:07 AM

Hooray for Orcas.

Sexdwarf

Hermosa Beach, CA

February 2003

SEP 09, 2005 09:27 AM

That si sooo cool, whales are awesome.

googused

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

SEP 09, 2005 09:38 AM

I didn't know they had Orcas in Buffalo.

robosagogo

State College, PA

September 2004

SEP 09, 2005 09:42 AM

That whale is what is popularly referred to as a hotshot rookie with something to prove.

flowerofromance

Chicago, IL

May 2005

SEP 09, 2005 09:43 AM

That whale is now my new personal hero.

Sorry, Johnny.

KaraLynn

Beverly Hills, CA

April 2004

SEP 09, 2005 10:00 AM

I, for one, welcome our new seagull trap-setting killer whale overlords.

snicker

trucksandtrains

Ottawa, ON

December 2004

SEP 09, 2005 10:50 AM

God damned. How long until they figure out to lure us puny, slow humans?

Adroitbeing

I'm lost

September 2003

SEP 09, 2005 11:07 AM

Someone is bound to wade in here (all puns intended) and cite this as an obvious example of "intelligent design" - but it won't be me!

catdad

Portland, OR

August 2002

SEP 09, 2005 11:08 AM

I heard about this last week. Very cool story. I hope they don't learn how to bake cookies and float them out in front of me.

420NeverForget

Tarzana, CA

May 2005

SEP 09, 2005 11:15 AM

trucksandtrains said:
God damned. How long until they figure out to lure us puny, slow humans?

"What's that over there? Another ship?"
"Negative captain, it appears to be a Starbucks... with drive-thru!"
"FULL SPEED AHEAD"

BridgeTwnPeddler

Portland, OR

January 2003

SEP 09, 2005 11:42 AM

This reminds me of the shots they have of Orca's swimming hard towards the beach... skidding across the beach/surf grabbing a seal and making their way back into the ocean...

seems that could quite easily use that tactic on any number of slow moving slumbering humans.

joe_T_17

Philadelphia, PA

May 2005

SEP 09, 2005 12:01 PM

Superb Simpson reference