surface creatures behavior

[canpinter]

So it was mentioned several times that if a beast from the surface tastes of smells  specifically human blood they go into a frenzy and try to kill as many people as they can. This got me wondering how on earth could behavior like that be a naturally occurring thing. My own personal theory is that the surface beasts where made to kill humanity and someone or something, the "builder" mentioned more then a few times, made the spires to shield humanity from these creatures.

[Darkarma]

Blood is iron based IE Hemoglobin. Any iron not covered in copper is rusted in a matter of days.

This all ties together.

There is something in the biology of the world which has iron as a key component. Maybe a vital nutrient. More importantly Rust and Blood vital component, they are oxidized.

[Phaeton Seraph]

I also wonder if there's a bit of a Deathworld thing going on with the planet.   In Harrison's book, all fauna was essentially telepathic, and was enraged against humans fighting back or clearing human space.  However, I think that, in this case, there might be (a) larger consciousness(es) at work.  I don't think the the thing that Folly met while ECA was human (ECA = Extra Corporeal Activity, like going EVA, but your body is the vehicle, and after this becomes a buzz word just remember where you heard if first (-: heh).   I think it was a native intelligence, connected somehow to the Ether.

I'm not saying there's nothing to the Iron theory.  Many animals go into a frenzy over blood and it may be the trace iron in human blood that makes these creatures go into theirs.

Any speculation at this point, unless guided by a WoJ, is unmitigated WAGgery.  That disclaimer made, who's to say that iron doesn't play a part in connecting to the ether and that the enemy Intelligence isn't also dependent on iron and it's not its connection to the animals that causes them to go nuts when they sense iron.