[imagesource: TikTok / @nutabull]

Here in the Western Cape, our orcas have become known for terrorising great white sharks.

A government-appointed expert panel concluded last year that orcas have likely caused the disappearance of the Cape’s great whites.

Footage was even shot in Knysna, showing a pair of orcas hunting a great white.

Usually, though, they’ll feed on fish and squid, but will also target seals, sea lions, sea birds, and even smaller whale species.

A video that appears to be shot off Vancouver Island in Canada’s British Columbia province shows orcas hunting a sea lion, but the potential meal has a cunning plan.

The sea lion climbed aboard a boat, seeking refuge as the orcas circled.

As you can see from the footage, first shared to TikTok, the boat captain isn’t really sure what to do.

Part of me would absolutely love to be on a boat with orcas circling, but I can also understand the fear in her voice:

So what are you doing in that situation?

On the one hand, you have to admire the sea lion’s quick thinking.

On the other, you also have to let nature run its course, and the boat has to get moving.

A second portion of the video was then shared, showing the woman shepherding the sea lion off the boat, where it most likely ended up becoming orca chow:

Correction: it’s a seal lion and she did kick it off the boat ☠️ pic.twitter.com/h9ZeNyUV8V

— Eye- (@castrowas95) September 25, 2021

Nature takes no prisoners.

I back the woman.

On the internet, however, battle lines must be drawn for anything and everything.

Newsweek with some of the reactions:

“How evil you gotta be to try and send a sea lion to its death, especially when it’s just sittin there lol,” tweeted @BrownSkinGirl88.

“Poor sea lion. He or she was terrified,” commented @Natureguy17. “I still can’t believe this humans [sic] didn’t start the boat. I have seen videos before where people do actually helped them. This person just stood still like if she was also the prey.”

“All she had to do was leave. She could have taken the little sea lion to safety = and herself,” said @churchlady320.”

This point was also made over and over on social media:

As the woman herself detailed in response to questions on TikTok, turning on the boat’s engines could have endangered the orcas.

Those who injure a protected animal could face fines and/or jail time. With this in mind, the woman could have been hesitant to start the boat, out of fear of hurting one of the whales and facing the potential legal consequences.

Someone even combed through the woman’s previous videos and found one showing that she “hates” sea lions:

See the second video below:

she hates them 😭 pic.twitter.com/LkF2HEr7QI

— Nicki Moderna (@unforeseenbritt) September 25, 2021

Enough now.

Props to the sea lion for its ingenuity, but such is the circle of life.

[source:newsweek]