Man-Animal War: Sperm Whale Harbors Grudge Against Would-Be Rescuer

If you haven't seen this video of a stray sperm whale stuck in Uwajima Bay in Japan attacking and killing one of his would be rescuers, you ought to check it out. The video will confirm the war I have been reporting on.

Animals are coming after humans, and this attack should serve as a warning. At first it seemed like the all too familiar suicide attack, as the whale trapped himself in a narrow bay to target his prey. But, yesterday, he finally escaped the bay, i.e. fled the scene of the crime. It was the perfect crime. Not only were a group of scientists working to help him escape, but they continued doing so after he took a man's life. If you ever had a doubt, you should know, whales are very smart creatures. And if literature has taught us anything, they are vengeful and dangerous.

First, a history lesson: You see, sperm whales are a bit of a sensitive breed these days. When whaling was still an unregulated industry, it was the sperm whale that was by far the most harvested because its rich concentration of spermaceti, a substance extracted from its blubber, which can be used as an ingredient in cosmetics, leatherworking, lubricants, candles and pharmaceutical ointments.

Now, if you recall a sperm whale is the central figure of Melville's now ironically prophetic Moby Dick, and if you remember your college lit class correctly, things did not work out too well for Captain Ahab. I'm pretty sure that sperm whales are fed up with the bad rap, and they are exacting revenge. Future rescuers beware.