Marsha Maung:: Freelance graphic designer and writer

Blog first published : Monday, January 3rd 2005


The baby humpback was being pushed under by a big gang of Killer Whales. The fins of black and whites emerged and submerged at the top of the water and the large hump of the humpback goes under. The Killer Whales are trying to drown the baby Humpback.

The mother Humpback, in the meantime, was darting around, trying to keep your baby afloat AND to try aiming her tail at the 15 Killer Whales attempting to take her baby for dinner.

15 hungry Killer Whales against ONE mother humpback trying to protect her precious 2-hour newborn baby. The sight was disheartening.

Joshua, my elder son (5), dashes across the living room in a second and runs into my arms. "Why are the big whales trying to push the small baby whale? Are they angry?" he asked me, eyes wide with fear and confusion.

I stroked his forehead and answered, "No, Josh", I gulped. "The big Killer Whales are hungry and they are trying to kill the baby Humpback whale". He look at me with a horrified expression on his face, "Like they're trying to eat the baby whale?"

I nod.

"They got no vegetables to eat?"

It's hard to explain these things to a kid and I settled for telling him that Killer Whales don't eat vegetables.

Not only was Joshua horrified with the scene on the "Animal Planet" show we were watching, so was I. The Killer Whales finally, slowly and painfully munched off one fin....and then the other. The red color that was spreading around the area of the commotion indicated that the baby was losing the battle against the 15 strong, humongous, gigantic Killer Whales. The small pup was no match for those 15 hungry whales.

The mother Humpback becomes helpless as the baby Humpback needs her to fully support the weight of the dying baby. The gang of Killer Whales knows that the large Humpback is going to be a tough catch so they don't try. They swatted the mother whale away from her precious baby....and the mother Humpback is forced away from her baby....and sadly, that's the end of her baby and the young whale's life ends painfully.

That's nature and my husband cheerfully eats his dinner as he watches and gives us the occassional "Whoa!" while I went "Eek!".

Why can't nature be more gentle? I might consider turning into a vegetarian...if only I liked eating greens. Fact is, I don't.