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Eugene

(61,914 posts) Thu Sep 17, 2015, 02:04 PM Sep 2015

Seal spotted surfing humpback whale in Australia

Source: BBC

Seal spotted surfing humpback whale in Australia

17 September 2015 Australia

An Australian photographer has captured a rare moment of animal communion with a shot of a fur seal surfing a humpback whale off the New South Wales coast.

Robyn Malcolm had been photographing a pod of whales on a feeding frenzy 500km (310 miles) south of Sydney.

But she only realised she had taken the unusual picture when she went through the photos later, she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Animal experts say that witnessing such a partnership is rare.

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8 replies

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Highlight:

Seal spotted surfing humpback whale in Australia (Original Post) Eugene Sep 2015 OP

Surf? Wail'll the seal gets the fare charge in Brisbane. Eleanors38 Sep 2015 #1

I've often wondered if maybe, just maybe... Shandris Sep 2015 #2

I think it is more that we will learn how to live from the other animals Angry Dragon Sep 2015 #4

I know my cats learn from each other. NV Whino Sep 2015 #5

Surfing USA shenmue Sep 2015 #3

Is there no end to the lengths that Uber will go to pick up fares? Glassunion Sep 2015 #6

great photo. lazy seal Liberal_in_LA Sep 2015 #7

Thanks Omaha Steve Sep 2015 #8

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

1. Surf? Wail'll the seal gets the fare charge in Brisbane.

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 02:12 PM

Sep 2015

Shandris

(3,447 posts)

2. I've often wondered if maybe, just maybe...

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 02:42 PM

Sep 2015

...some animals will learn cooperation from some of us and pass it on over time. Like the monkeys who learned how to disarm tiger traps? It always makes me think, what if that seal (or even whale!) had witnessed humans on the beach helping each other some time and thought...that's not a bad idea.

Angry Dragon

(36,693 posts)

4. I think it is more that we will learn how to live from the other animals

Reply to Shandris (Reply #2)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 03:24 PM

Sep 2015

NV Whino

(20,886 posts)

5. I know my cats learn from each other.

Reply to Shandris (Reply #2)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 04:21 PM

Sep 2015

Beau know that a quick pat on my arm will get him a few more minutes of scratches. Suddenly Grayson started going it, too.

I had another cat, long ago, that taught her companion not to be afraid of the toilet flushing. I actually like it better when he was afraid.

So, yes, animals learn from each other. Do they learn from us? I'm not so sure we have anything to teach them.