# Whales use bait to catch seagulls **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 2, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710 "2005-09-02T06:20:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/1 "2005-09-02T06:20:05Z")
[Linky](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050902/ap_on_sc/clever_whale) > [@](#): > > NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario - An enterprising young killer whale at Marineland has figured out how to use fish as bait to catch seagulls — and shared his strategy with his fellow whales. That’s a very, very facsinating discovery indeed. This comes on top of the discovery of dolphins using tools a few months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/2 "2005-09-02T07:42:32Z")
> [@Electronic Chaos](#): > > [Linky](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050902/ap_on_sc/clever_whale) > > That’s a very, very facsinating discovery indeed. This comes on top of the discovery of dolphins using tools a few months ago. Ok, I can accept that a whale might use bait to catch a seagull (it could almost be the premise for a Farside cartoon), but I’m not gonna sit here and let you tell me that dolphins use tools. I mean, for starters dolphins are very intelligent, but even if one _was_ stupid enough to try using tools underwater, where would he plug it in? How would he avoid getting electrocuted? How does he manipulate the power switch? It just doesn’t sound plausable I’m afraid :). ---
**Author:** ![BadBadger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BadBadger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBadger)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/3 "2005-09-02T08:27:03Z")
Well, dolphins did build sonar you know, and taught us how to use it to boot. Oh, and can I be the first to say, killer whales in captivity = real shitty thing to do. [Linky](http://www.orcahome.de/lifeexpectancy.htm) But if I want to talk about that I’ll take it somewhere else. The story is indeed intersting. Wonder if they pluck em first. I’ve seen film of orcas taking penguins. They kinda bite the head off and squeeze the meat out like a tube of toothpaste, leaving a handy puppet glove behind… ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/4 "2005-09-02T12:55:17Z")
> [@BadBadger](#): > > But if I want to talk about that I’ll take it somewhere else. The story is indeed intersting. Wonder if they pluck em first. I’ve seen film of orcas taking penguins. They kinda bite the head off and squeeze the meat out like a tube of toothpaste, leaving a handy puppet glove behind… Give us a warning before describing something like that! _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/5 "2005-09-02T12:57:06Z")
Anything that eats seagulls is a friend o’ mine. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/6 "2005-09-02T13:03:15Z")
Just to be an annoying nitpick. Killer Whales are actually the largest members of the Dolphin family and not whales. Orcas is actual the more proper and preferred term. Killer Whales being in captivity does stink, but their unasked sacrifice does raise appreciation and love for the entire family of cetaceans. There suffering is aiding all the other Orcas and Whales and Dolphins in the world. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/7 "2005-09-02T13:03:49Z")
[quote] But if I want to talk about that I’ll take it somewhere else. The story is indeed intersting. Wonder if they pluck em first. I’ve seen film of orcas taking penguins. They kinda bite the head off and squeeze the meat out like a tube of toothpaste, leaving a handy puppet glove behind… [B. Kliban] \*Oh, love to eat them Penguins Penguins is what I love to Eat Bite of their little headsies Nibble on their glove-like Feet. \* [/B. Kliban] ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/8 "2005-09-02T13:08:26Z")
On catching seagulls. . . When we were kids, we would dig a small trench on the beach and lay in it. Our compadres would cover us to the neck in sand, lay a towel over our faces, and spread chips on our belly. You know how bold seagulls are. It would take them about 2 second before you had 4 of them walking around on your belly. Sit up and GRAB. We never actually caught one, but we scared the living shit out of a lot of them. Also, lifeguards don’t let you get away with this for too long. It was also fun to lay there in your “trap” and say stuff to people walking by. ---
**Author:** ![BadBadger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BadBadger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBadger)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/9 "2005-09-02T13:17:46Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Oh, love to eat them Penguins > Penguins is what I love to Eat > Bite of their little headsies > Nibble on their glove-like Feet. That’s so beautiful. Brought a tear to my eye. Killer whales are indeed heavyweight dolphins. Some fisherman apparently saw one attacking a whale and named it Whale Killer. Over time some idiot reversed it… Makes you wonder what else could have been reversed over time. For instance: Right Whale —\> Whale Right —\> Whale Wright Before you know it you got a load of people looking for whales on wheels. Trying speaking that lot out loud. Feel like a gibbering monkey now… I better go and have a lie down. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/10 "2005-09-02T13:26:14Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > but we scared the living shit out of a lot of them. I bet. ewwwwwwwwwww ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/11 "2005-09-02T15:01:54Z")
Anyone else notice this? [quote=original article] “Researchers have determined an average life **exptectancy** …” All this time I’ve been saying it wrong. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/12 "2005-09-02T15:05:05Z")
Ah, fuck. You get the idea though. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/13 "2005-09-02T15:20:40Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > On catching seagulls. . . > > When we were kids, we would dig a small trench on the beach and lay in it. Our compadres would cover us to the neck in sand, lay a towel over our faces, and spread chips on our belly. > > You know how bold seagulls are. It would take them about 2 second before you had 4 of them walking around on your belly. > > Sit up and GRAB. We never actually caught one, but we scared the living shit out of a lot of them. > > Also, lifeguards don’t let you get away with this for too long. It was also fun to lay there in your “trap” and say stuff to people walking by. Oh, man, that is hilarious!! **Trunk** , you’ve got a sly and devious mind. ---
**Author:** ![flash\_hobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce73a5/32.png) [@flash\_hobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flash_hobo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/14 "2005-09-02T15:30:53Z")
I guess whales are learning to master baiting. Oh come on. _Somebody_ had to say it. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/15 "2005-09-04T17:58:42Z")
Arg! I heard that story on the radio as I was starting a road trip. I have been waiting patiently to start a thread about it. Crap you beat me to it. I was just picturing the Orca tossing the seagull around like a rag doll and some child being traumatized from seeing the bloody feathers flying. Ok I know I am a little twisted, but its fun. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/16 "2005-09-04T18:32:02Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > On catching seagulls. . . > > When we were kids, we would dig a small trench on the beach and lay in it. Our compadres would cover us to the neck in sand, lay a towel over our faces, and spread chips on our belly. > > You know how bold seagulls are. It would take them about 2 second before you had 4 of them walking around on your belly. > > Sit up and GRAB. We never actually caught one, but we scared the living shit out of a lot of them. > > Also, lifeguards don’t let you get away with this for too long. It was also fun to lay there in your “trap” and say stuff to people walking by. I wonder if that would work with the ladies? What bait to use though? ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/17 "2005-09-04T18:33:59Z")
chocolate !! unless it’s really hot out, then it would melt and get all icky … ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/18 "2005-09-05T23:08:11Z")
I hope a live seagull tastes/smells better than a dead one. I was given instructions on how to preserve birds wings using salt water (I make the wings into fans and sell them at pow-wows). I found a seagull in the parking lot at work that had only been dead since early morning - the flies were just starting to take notice, so I took it home to de-wing it. Oh.My.God. As soon as I sawed through the shoulder muscle it let out the smell of a hot, moist dumpster. And that wasn’t from decay - that was the natural odor of its meat. Horrible. Stomachs of steel, those whales have. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/19 "2005-09-06T02:04:34Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > When we were kids, we would dig a small trench on the beach and lay in it. Our compadres would cover us to the neck in sand, lay a towel over our faces, and spread chips on our belly. > You know how bold seagulls are. It would take them about 2 second before you had 4 of them walking around on your belly. > Sit up and GRAB. This technique was used by some American Indians to capture eagles (bait = rabbit, not chips). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710/20 "2005-09-06T04:47:59Z")
I hadn’t heard about dolphins using tools, but it’s not surprising. A LOT of animals use tools. I’m a bit more impressed by Japanese crows that have apparently figured out automobile traffic patterns, and place nuts on the street at intersections during red lights. Apparently, the crows have learned that cars stop at red lights, and will crack open their nuts when the lights turn green. A bird that can turn humans into their personal nutcrackers has to be mighty smart. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whales-use-bait-to-catch-seagulls/319710.md?page=2)