Real or Not?

Beluga whale saves drowning diver's life | The Sun |News

I read this story of a whale saving a swimmer, sounded credible, and I have heard of this kind of thing before but I was just wondering what everyone else thought.

I've read similar stories - whales and dolphins etc. Dolphins particularly have developed a reputation for "saving" swimmers in distress.

I also remember seeing a documentary in which an immature whale (can't remember the species but possibly dwarf minke) which was "playing" with snorkellers and divers and actually took a woman and pushed her down to depth but re-surfaced her when she started panicking and struggling.

I've never witnessed anything like it but stories of animal charity are not especially uncommon - dogs barking at people because their masters are in distress etc. - and I mean real animals, not "Lassie!"

For sure it's something that happens. Whether the animal actually knows what it's doing is anybody's guess. A dog barking because it's owner is in distress could probably be easily explained, but why marine mammals seem to take an interest in our well-being is anybody's guess.

I've dived with dolphins and minke whales and the whales especially loved showing off... underwater the dolphins did not look so cute!

Cheers

C.

If you think that was amazing, you should hear the story about this guy named Jonah........

Based on everything I've ever seen and read on dolphins and whales, they seem to have a bond or mutual support thing going, kinda of a sociatal idea. Plus because they breath air, I would assume that they have an ingrained sense that "where there's air there's life". If you think about what most animal trainers will tell you, a dog sees you as another dog, so if a dolphin or whales see you as a scrawny version of them and you were in trouble, I could see there instincts taking over and them taking you to life (air).

You do realize they were in an aquarium?

I wish it was in a more natural environment and there would be less speculation. I think it was so cool that the whale did that but do you think he knew she was in distress? He works so close with humans, maybe he thought she was playing or practicing a trick he was taught? I don't like to sound like a "downer" but there are a lot of things to consider when reading the article. It's still cool to know how gentle they are though.

BDSC:

If you think that was amazing, you should hear the story about this guy named Jonah........

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Kevin Carlisle:

You do realize they were in an aquarium?

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For once I am not trying to be a smartass, but what does this have to do with anything? I have no idea the temperature but if it is an Arctic aquarium, I would think it would be pretty cold.

It doesn't seem that far fetched. It makes sense that mammals that tend to live in "packs", "pods", or whatever would try to help each other out, and if they see a human as friendly, these instincts could kick in I'd think.

LOL point taken but do you think that would happen if they were not in an aquarium. Those animals are use to people. Im sure the water is cold, hell it looks cold. What does that have to do with it? Im not doubting the girl cramped up, i would have too IF you got me in the water. Like i said tho it seemed that maybe they were unaware that it happened in an aquarium.

ScubaSteve:

For once I am not trying to be a smartass, but what does this have to do with anything? I have no idea the temperature but if it is an Arctic aquarium, I would think it would be pretty cold.

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MichiganScott:

Beluga whale saves drowning diver's life | The Sun |News

I read this story of a whale saving a swimmer, sounded credible, and I have heard of this kind of thing before but I was just wondering what everyone else thought.

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I do not think it is a real story. I think it was staged to give publicity to the aquarium. I don't think it has been verified in the media beyond the original story - just picked up all around the world from the first source (happy to be corrected however).

If I was the freediver I'd be cut at the photographer for not helping