Seagulls with prep time.....

[LionExMachina]

A nasty new fad from the post-millennial shit-hawk.

Seagulls have developed a hunting strategy never before seen in the animal world—eating the eyeballs of live seal pups, a new study says.

During the past 15 years, scientists have logged around 500 instances of kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) attacking and attempting to eat the eyeballs of newborn Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) in Namibia’s coastal Dorob National Park...

Since blinded seals can't find help from other seals and easily succumb to more attacks, the birds have discovered removing eyeballs is an especially efficient way to get a meal.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150817-seals-seagulls-animals-science-predators-prey/

It's weird, but reading about this actually raised the profile of the Seagull in my eyes.

I always thought of them as the loud, aggressive panhandlers of the sky that are only slightly less annoying than a jonsing crackhead who just saw you put change in your pocket while you are walking out an LCBO.

But now I see them as actual predators. Flying wolves who will crew up and Ray Charles anybody they catch slipping.

In many cases, once a gull pecks out the eyeballs, other kelp gulls join in and begin to eat the seal’s exposed areas, such as its underbelly and genitals, the scientists observed.

“It’s a cruel way to go,” says Gallagher. But from the gull’s point of view, it’s a “beautifully strategic attack.”

I bet seal pup eyeballs taste like jube-jubes to seagulls.

 

[Shael]

Dat bird ingenuity.

 

[IDL]

My first thought was that maybe they are giving the Gulls too much credit in thinking ahead.

Birds always go for the eyeballs first in dead animals (fish for example). They seem to prefer it.

So either they are just going for their favorite delicacy and figure they can get away with it on a seal pup, or they are actually thinking ahead.

Who knows, but there are smart birds out there and they are capable of thinking a couple moves ahead.

 

[scrubido]

When they become immune to aspirin, I'll be worried.

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

Just wait until they understand that humans also have eye balls. I've always thought Hitchhock's "Birds" was a very real scenario.

 

[zackryder]

Just wait until they understand that humans also have eye balls. I've always thought Hitchhock's "Birds" was a very real scenario.

 

[Crazyced]

only slightly less annoying than a jonsing crackhead who just saw you put change in your pocket while you are walking out an LCBO.

lol Location revealed.

 

[Make-U-Tap]

Just wait until seals get word of the effectiveness of Alka-Seltzer #Snopes

 

[zackryder]

is this another pt for evolution that birds came from dinos? XD

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

"My bird is hungry"
-Swain

 

[ICHEERTHEBULL]

fuck those evil fucks

Now researchers at Marineland in Ontario, Canada have observed a four-year-old killer whale setting a trap for seagulls by spitting fish onto the water's surface as bait.

The whale would sink below the water and wait for an unsuspecting gull to come down for a meal. Once the bird took the bait, the whale would lunge at it with open jaws. The whale, pleased with the results, set up the trap over and over again.

The trap worked so well that after a few months the whale's younger brother gave it a try.

http://www.livescience.com/6992-killer-whales-set-traps-gullible-gulls.html

 

[IDL]

fuck those evil fucks



http://www.livescience.com/6992-killer-whales-set-traps-gullible-gulls.html

They are very clever

 

[LionExMachina]

They are very clever

And cruel. You should see what they do to seals they catch them but aren't hungry.

 

[IDL]

And cruel. You should see what they do to seals they catch them but aren't hungry.

Yeah they are like big house cats in that regard. House cats are also very cruel.

 

[IDL]

Let's face it. The entire animal kingdom is barbaric. Very uncivilized, if I do say so myself.

 

[SaintSoldier]

Corvids are still much smarter and more badass.

 

[dabausplaya]

Birds are dumb.

 

[Organic Damage]

fuck those evil fucks



http://www.livescience.com/6992-killer-whales-set-traps-gullible-gulls.html

Yeah seagulls are huge assholes. Surprised to learn they're actually smart. Maybe that's why they always drop huge shits on my car the day after I've had it detailed.

 

[dabausplaya]

fuck those evil fucks



http://www.livescience.com/6992-killer-whales-set-traps-gullible-gulls.html

Why didn't he just eat the fish?