## Highlights ### 1 whales attacks are accidental and hurt the whale > When we hear about the rare whale “attack” on the news these days, it’s typically not so aggressive as we might initially believe. > > *More often than not, the whale in question was a juvenile and misjudged the distance while breaching the surface.* > > Even when they are juveniles, whales are huge, so an accidental bump can – and does – sink ships. This is also one reason why many whales are heavily scarred by the time they reach adulthood. Bumping up against a ship causes juvenile whales injuries, the same as any other living creature. > > They aren’t armored, after all, and screws or propellers can injure the whale.  After a whale “attack,” it is common to find pieces of blubber and skin floating to the surface or even adhering to the ship. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F34%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F41%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A205#:~:text=When%20we%20hear%20about%20the%2Ceven%20adhering%20to%20the%20ship.) ### 2 whales can lose their tempers > Now and then, there are rare instances when a whale will attack. > Like any human being, if a whale is harassed for too long, it may retaliate against a pest. It’s best to allow whales a safe distance and treat them with respect. Although normally docile, they are capable of losing their tempers just like any other intelligent creature. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F43%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F46%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A271#:~:text=Now%20and%20then%2C%20there%20are%2Clike%20any%20other%20intelligent%20creature.) ### 3 whales only mean to attack boats when stealing fish > a whale doesn’t recognize how large it is in relation to a person or their watercraft. > > If the whale were to accidentally run into a boat, breach (or jump out of the water) on top of it, or even play tug-of-war on the anchor, it can cause damage to a boat and sometimes even to the people on board without the whale meaning to do so. > > However, whales have not been known to maliciously attack a boat unless it is to steal fish from a fisherman. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F52%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A9%2C0%2F56%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A109#:~:text=a%20whale%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20recognize%20how%2Csteal%20fish%20from%20a%20fisherman.) ### 4 possible to pull shark into boat with fishing rod > A shark isn’t usually going to leap out of the water for no reason, though. Typically, when they do jump, they are in pursuit of prey. If you’ve hooked a fish that the shark is chasing, then the momentum of the chase will lead to the shark launching out of the water and onto your boat. > > *Sharks can travel up to twenty-five miles per hour, and they’ve cleared a four-foot hull before.* > > Sometimes, while fishing for other marine life, you may wind up snaring a shark. Depending on what kind of fishing you are doing, you could wind up landing a large shark. This is more common than most people think! - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F97%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F101%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A214#:~:text=A%20shark%20isn%E2%80%99t%20usually%20going%2Ccommon%20than%20most%20people%20think!) ### 5 orcas are smart and terrifying > Once, orcas cohabitated with human fishermen in the Bering Sea without mishap; they now shake down the lines for their meals. > > Orcas are brilliant animals and exhibit highly social and coordinated behavior. > > They’ve even been known to attack great white sharks, dragging them down to the depths and holding them upside down to drown them! > > **It is not uncommon for a large pod of even forty orcas to swarm a fishing boat, ready to strip it of its cargo.** - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F106%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F0%2F112%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A111#:~:text=Once%2C%20orcas%20cohabitated%20with%20human%2Cstrip%20it%20of%20its%20cargo.) ### 6 hippos are very aggressive > Hippos will fight you. They may look a little funny (especially with their mouths open), but they are highly territorial and especially strong! > *They can be up to seventeen feet long and weigh as much as eight-thousand pounds. In Africa, an average of five-hundred people a year lose their lives to the hippopotamus.* > > According to National Geographic, hippos are one of the most aggressive mammals in Africa, beating other animals like lions, hyenas, and even baboons in levels of aggression. > > **These animals are incredibly territorial and more likely to attack a boat out of aggression than any other animal on this list.** > > Hippos are large with tough hides, strong jaws, and big teeth. This means that they have been known to scare off crocodiles, and they can do a lot of damage to a boat or person. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F138%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F146%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A177#:~:text=Hippos%20will%20fight%20you.%20They%2Cto%20a%20boat%20or%20person.) ### 7 hippos are very fast > • **Don’t get between them and the water.** > If you encounter a hippo on dry land, where they come out to eat, then make sure you do not position yourself between them and the water. They can’t see well, and they will instinctively run back to the water if they are startled. They are fast runners and outstrip humans with ease. You will likely be trampled to death. ### 8 hippos hate vibrations > • **When passing hippos, bang on your boat.** > This might seem silly, but hippos hate vibrations. It won’t protect you by itself, but it alerts the hippos that you are there and prevents them from coming up from the water underneath you. If nothing else, it helps to make sure they don’t capsize your boat by accident. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F0%2F3%2F163%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C2%2F5%2F163%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A272#:~:text=Don%E2%80%99t%20get%20between%20them%20and%2Ccapsize%20your%20boat%20by%20accident.) ### 9 giant squids roughly human-sized > **In fact, giant squids are usually right around the size of a human, sometimes a little longer and other times a little smaller.** (Unless you’re counting tentacle length, then they are *much* larger than humans. But I am only considering mantle length.) - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F0%2F178%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A181#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20giant%20squids%20are%2Cam%20only%20considering%20mantle%20length.)) ### 10 boats are dangerous to squids > There are no recorded instances of a squid taking down a boat or ship. There are loads of stories where they seem to try, of course. Scientists are skeptical that squids are attacking ships when they attach themselves to the hull, however, because their diets consist mostly (if not exclusively) of fish. > > It makes little sense that they would try to fell prey several times larger than themselves. When squids do attach to the hull of a ship, they often wind up sliding into the propellers of the ship and dying. > Boats are more a hazard to squid than squid is to boats. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F183%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F187%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A56#:~:text=There%20are%20no%20recorded%20instances%2Cthan%20squid%20is%20to%20boats.) ### 11 crocodiles are more aggressive than alligators > When this alligator saw a human paddling along with their pet dog, the alligator lunged for the small pet dog despite the presence of a human. > > Crocodiles, in general, are more aggressive than alligators. > Where an alligator will slip into the water and head for the bottom to avoid humans, some species of crocodile will charge your boat. > > However, the Nile and saltwater crocodiles, found in Africa, Australia, and even in Asia, are known to be the most aggressive and are responsible for the most attacks on humans. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F236%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F236%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A177#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20Nile%20and%20saltwater%2Cthe%20most%20attacks%20on%20humans.) ### 12 animals mostly prefer prey smaller than them > While there are numerous crocodile attack reports in places like Queensland, Australia, in parks, or wild trials in West Africa each year, only crocs that reach a size of upwards of seven (7) feet will fatally injure a human. > This is because animals don’t usually try to eat something bigger than them. They will opt for easier, smaller prey. > > However, any sized crocodile can take a quick bite out of a person if they feel that they are threatened, and that can have terrible consequences. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F241%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A125%2C0%2F245%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A146#:~:text=While%20there%20are%20numerous%20crocodile%2Cthat%20can%20have%20terrible%20consequences.) ### 13 crocodiles attack and eat humans > **When crocodiles are cut open, it is not unusual to find bracelets, rings, and even flesh-covered human limbs.** > > However, much like their cousins (the alligators), crocodiles must grow to a certain size before they see full-grown humans as a potential meal. > Nonetheless, even a non-lethal alligator or crocodile bite will typically require hospitalization. - [View Highlight](https://godownsize.com/do-animals-attack-boats?__readwiseLocation=0%2F0%2F247%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A0%2C0%2F251%2F4%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F1%2F6%2F1%3A98#:~:text=When%20crocodiles%20are%20cut%20open%2C%2Cbite%20will%20typically%20require%20hospitalization.)