From Bryn Glover, Kirkby Malzeard, North Yorkshire, UK
It is interesting that altruism was used to explain why orcas were apparently offering people gifts. This is based on a human trait, but there is another possible explanation also based on human activity. We frequently offer small edible titbits, usually on the end of a line, with the purpose of securing much larger eatables. Can the researchers be sure that what they are being offered isn’t bait? Before venturing into the sea to accept the “gifts”, I feel we ought to be absolutely certain of the motives of these apparent benefactors(12 July, p 19).
