Quote Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion View Post
Orcas are undoubtedly on the short list of sentient species on the planet, and it certainly isn't any surprise to ME that they can calculate violence, plan for the future, and seek revenge. It's been documented often enough now.

Orcas don't eat humans. They break their backs, or simply drown them. It's not predatory behavior, it's homicide. I don't blame them, of course, certainly humans, chimps, gorillas, and other sentient beings may do the same.

I recollect a pair of orcas that had a calf--the calf fell ill, and was removed for treatment, but it died. The orcas vocalized in ways that had not been recorded previously, until one day, they cooperated to break their trainer's back. The trainer lived, but of course did not return.

The odd vocalizations stopped, and the orcas returned to their normal behavior. The incident was labeled an accident, but really? One orca carried the trainer on his back, and the other breached over him, smashing the trainer into the water, but barely brushing the other orca's back. That's a precision move, and it was a very coordinated one, too.

Who can blame them? Their calf was taken away by humans, and they never saw it again. Very nice work, though, to not only exact revenge, but to make it look like an accident. If people are going to work with a creature that weighs over 10,000 pounds and has the mental capacity of, at minimum, a 5 year old human, one has to expect such things.
All species of dolphins are currently trying to be proved as sentient to stop the culling of the animals in the Japanese waters. (Which, with sentience, would be considered murder.)
I wholeheartedly agree.

I also think, that because these animals have a sentience that we don't completely understand, keeping them in such a contained area is very difficult on them neurologically.
It's interesting though. Ravens are recorded to be the most 'intelligent' species of animal on the planet besides humans, but they lack the emotional, social, and coordination skills that dolphin species have as well as communication skills. Which makes dolphins sentient while ravens are just intelligent.

People take these species for granted, they really do. I hope that one day things will be better for the captive dolphin species.