Biologists: Killer whales 'neurotic' in captivity

cnn ^ | February 25, 2010 9 | Elizabeth Landau

[Fresh Wind]

I thought it was Bush’s fault.

Remember that "Three Degrees of Kevin Bacon" thing that was around a while back? Well, the same applies to Bush. Everything bad that happens can be linked to Bush at 3 degrees of separation or less. One of those degrees will almost always be Global Warming.

[kcvl]

http://bolmamabol.blogspot.com/2009/03/after-siegfried-and-roy-tiger-attack.html

[spetznaz]

I totally agree with you. Male tigers are extremely solitary (beautiful amazing) animals that only interact with a tigress during mating season (they are similar to leopards in this behavior). The males do not interact with the cubs ...unless it is to kill them. Lions do interact with cubs (being more social than tigers and leopards), but even there itis tricky ...a male lion (or set of brothers) leading a pride will interact with cubs to some extent, but it is rough and unlike the female members of the pride. Moreover, the MOMENT the male is overthrown by a younger more powerful male, and the pride taken over, the FIRST act of the new king is to kill all cubs so as to bring the lionesses into heat (and destroy the genes of the prior male and replace them with his own). The greatest threat to lion cubs apart from disease and the weather is other lions (male). Thus if Roy Nd Siegfried blamed the attack on a MALE tiger assisting him as it would a cub, they are Right ...right in that a male tiger would be trying to kill the cub.

You are also correct about not comparing a dog (adomesticated animal that is now almost dependent on humans) with a tiger or any large cat. I love animals and spend holidays visiting Kenyan game reserves, and the strength of a lion is prodigious. They can take down wildebeest with one paw swipe. Even a leopard can drag more than its body weight straight up a tree holding it in its jaws. Comparing that with the family lab is a joke ...there are few dogs that I would have to worry about. A leopard, tiger or lion is like a small wilderness deity in terms of what it can bring to bear!

Reminds me of those people who keep Chimps as pets, not knowing that these highy intelligent animals get angry and jealous and murderous at times - and have 6 times (you read that right) the strength of a human male. Chimp attacks normally involve rippig of genitals, noses and ears, and even ripping of limbs out ( I did not say biting out ...literally gripping an arm and ripping it out with sheer strength alone). Some animals are too strong or intelligent for captivity.