re: Whales being killed by humans = not too smart?
The whale was just the first example that came to mind of an animal that has been imagined by some to have some kind of vast intelligence, but exhibits nothing approaching imaginative action, organization, adaption and communication in real time, or any other aspect of it.
I can think of several ways something with true intelligence that can hear ship engines a hundred miles off could deal with modern whalers.
If whales were truly intelligent, and capable of communication and cultural evolution, then the whaling industry would have failed while it still used sailing ships.
There may indeed be different "kinds" of intelligence out there, but an intelligence indistinguishable in every way from animal actions isn't going to be much of a find.