Why do humpbacks protect seals from killer whales?

It's possible humpbacks are rescuing seals, sunfish, and other species by mistake, but there's a chance they have altruistic motivations. read more

Killer whales are the only predators (with humans) to humpback whales. The humpbacks are therefore particularly on the watch when it comes to killer whales pods roaming the same waters as them. While the reasons for the rescue by whales of other species, such as seals, is still mysterious, scientific teams studying them have two main hypothesese for the humpbacks' interest in defending fellow mammals. read more

The whale arched its chest out of the water, which kept the seal away from the charging killer whales. And when the seal started to fall off, the whale carefully pushed it back onto its chest with a flipper. read more

Two humpback whales were already on the scene as the killer whales, or orcas, attacked the grays. But after the calf had been killed, about 14 more humpbacks arrived—seemingly to prevent the orcas from eating the calf. read more

Because killer whales and humpbacks are enemies, the humpbacks are probably helping seals just to confound the killer whales. It is an act against the orcas more than it is an act for the seals, I think. read more