| Speculative biology is simultaneously a science and form of art in which one speculates on the possibilities of life and evolution. What could the world look like if dinosaurs had never gone extinct? What could alien lifeforms look like? What kinds of plants and animals might exist in the far future? These questions and more are tackled by speculative biologists, and the Speculative Evolution welcomes all relevant ideas, inquiries, and world-building projects alike. With a member base comprising users from across the world, our community is the largest and longest-running place of gathering for speculative biologists on the web. While unregistered users are able to browse the forum on a basic level, registering an account provides additional forum access not visible to guests as well as the ability to join in discussions and contribute yourself! Registration is free and instantaneous. Join our community today! |
| Domesticated Whales | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Dec 1 2010, 12:25 PM (3,385 Views) | |
| lamna | Dec 1 2010, 12:25 PM Post #1 |
 
|
For a long time I've been wondering if this would be possible. Perhaps Baleen whales could be domesticated. As you can hardly fill a trough with krill and get them to eat while you milk them, you could use electronic implants to help control them. The dairy ship sends out a low deep sounds attracting the whales in for milking and divers or ROVs hook the whales up to milking machines and you turn on the pleasure centre of their brains. After they have been drained you turn off the pleasure and the swim away to feed. Killer Whales or dolphins could be used as sheep dogs. I don't know how you'd kill a whale humanely for the meat though. Fire a cannon into the brain? |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
 |
 
|
| Clarke | Dec 2 2010, 03:36 PM Post #2 |
Adult
|
I know Arthur C. Clarke did a few short stories in which domesticated whales were mentioned, and one in which it was the main focus. In the story, dolphins were used akin to sheep dogs, although I'm not sure how cost-effective the operation would be. |
| Brahma | |
|
|
|
| lamna | Dec 2 2010, 07:13 PM Post #3 |
|
Deep Range I believe it's called. Whales were incredibly profitable in the past. One day we'll have squeezed all the mineral oil our world has to offer, but whale oil will keep renewing as long as whales exist. Plus there is the flesh which is apparently quite tasty, the bone and baleen have their uses, and apparently the penis skin makes good leather, or at least high cost leather. Plus I expect you could make quite superb cheese with their fatty milk. |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
|
|
|
| MitchBeard | Dec 2 2010, 07:41 PM Post #4 |
proud gondwanan
|
Lethal injection. |
|
|
|
| Scrublord | Dec 2 2010, 07:45 PM Post #5 |
Father Pellegrini
|
But can you imagine the space those things would need? |
|
My Projects: The Neozoic Redux Valhalla--Take Three! The Big One Deviantart Account: http://elsqiubbonator.deviantart.com In the end, the best advice I could give you would be to do your project in a way that feels natural to you, rather than trying to imitate some geek with a laptop in Colorado. --Heteromorph | |
|
|
|
| MitchBeard | Dec 2 2010, 08:47 PM Post #6 |
|
proud gondwanan
|
Well they'd be free range, obviously. |
|
|
|
| lamna | Dec 3 2010, 02:05 AM Post #7 |
|
Shame we don't have vast areas of salt water to ranch them on. And filling a whale with poison tends to devalue the meat. |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
|
|
|
| colddigger | Dec 3 2010, 02:15 AM Post #8 |
Joke's over! Love, Parasky
|
Just beach them and harvest the meat live. |
|
Oh Fine. Oh hi you! Why don't you go check out the finery that is SGP?? v Don't click v Spoiler: click to toggle | |
|
|
|
| Flisch | Dec 3 2010, 03:48 AM Post #9 |
Superhuman
|
How is 'controling them via implant' domestication? >_> Plus I don't really see the benefit of domesticating whales in the first place. Well except for maybe... maybe... Mmmh, I don't see any benefit. |
| We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon. | |
|
|
|
| colddigger | Dec 3 2010, 03:51 AM Post #10 |
|
Joke's over! Love, Parasky
|
The benefit is that you've just domesticated whales. |
|
Oh Fine. Oh hi you! Why don't you go check out the finery that is SGP?? v Don't click v Spoiler: click to toggle | |
|
|
|
| dialforthedevil | Dec 3 2010, 04:37 AM Post #11 |
Frumentarii Administrator
|
Yeah its kinda a way of showing off  although it would save whale species. Hmm maybe the Japanese could do that. The only problem is that whales have a very slow breeding rate so you would have to modify them
|
|
Please come visit A Scientfic Fantasy http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/3433014/1/ ALSO!!! JOIN THE NEW RPG SITE!!! FOR ALL MEMBERS!!! IM GOING TO RUN MA GLOBAL SIMULATORS THERE!!! http://s4.zetaboards.com/jasonguppy/index/ Join the Campaign to save minotaurs from extinction!!! (include this in your signature to show your support!) | |
|
|
|
| Flisch | Dec 3 2010, 05:02 AM Post #12 |
|
Superhuman
|
*selfslap* Oh damn, how could I forget!?
So who cares about that, except PETA I guess. ¬_¬ |
| We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon. | |
|
|
|
| Oceaniis | Dec 3 2010, 05:32 AM Post #13 |
Adolescent
|
Whales aren't good for domesticate, their feeding areas are near of the poles, and reproduction areas near of the equator.... So for that woul would need to catch food for them I suppose and keep they all year in tropical waters. Whales breed in 3 year interval, so a whale will give milk once each 3 years for 1 year, also you need to take the calf from ther mother, a feed her with milk also... or kill her for meat... Their milk are very fat, so I don't see the interest of it, since the most part of the fat will be thrown away. I don't know if you know the taste of their milke, me neither but I can tell you that dolpin milk is horrible!!! Yes I tasted it once  Also talking about domestication is wrong, yu should say tamed whales, domestication is process where the domesticated animal have some mutations that makes it different from the original specie become a new specie, probably there are some exceptions, but they're diferent geneticaly. (americans still classify dogs as wolf sudspecies) |
|
|
|
| Flisch | Dec 3 2010, 05:49 AM Post #14 |
|
Superhuman
|
I think everyone does. 
|
| We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon. | |
|
|
|
| lamna | Dec 3 2010, 11:36 AM Post #15 |
|
Just because it takes a long time does not mean farming them can't be profitable. Take forestry, even fast growing Eucalyptus and Sitka spruce takes a while to mature. Cork and orchards can take a life time. And they would not be farmed like modern animals. In the past people would let their animals migrate and just follow them round, guiding them to good places to feed. One could do the same in ships. Horses are domestic, but we still need technology to control them. Well, you can ride bare back and control a horse with your legs, but that's going to be very uncomfortable. I suppose you are right about the milk though, there is a huge excess of fatty milk from the dairy industry as most people like skimmed milk. Perhaps in the future we could develop implants that let a whale lactate without having a calf. Whale veal would make PETA and Sea Shepard completely loose their shit. |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Evolutionary Continuum · Next Topic » |
7:30 PM Jul 13