Zoras evolving into Ritos

This has always bothered me. In The Wind Waker, after the goddesses flooded Hyrule, why did the Zoras evolve into Ritos? It makes perfect since that fish people could survive a flood, even one of such magnitude. Why bother becoming bird people when they were doing just fine as fish?

Well, I think the Zora somehow "evolved" into the Rito, by using the scales
from Valoo, or by being changed by the godesses.
They must have been zora at sometime because Medli's ancestor in the earth
temple (Laruto) was a Zora.
And the sea remember, is a "fishless sea", so the zoras couldn't have stayed
there.

There's already been a thread or two just like this.

They didn't evolve, they were turned into bird people by the godesses to keep them out of Hyrule. I didn't think it was that big a secret, really.

Fishless? What about the map guy?

...yeah yeah, I know. Don't answer that.

I know nothing about Zoras turning to Ritos, but maybe from becoming a stronger race, it's just a theory.

Honestly, I was surprised to not see a Zora in the Great Sea in WW when I first played it, but as I got into the story and learned the 'fishless sea' part and other things...I was still disappointed that I wouldn't see any Zoras swimming around in the Great Sea. But seeing the Ritos made up for it, I guess. It makes me wonder if they are going to keep the Ritos or bring back the Zoras for the next Zelda game...

Well, recall that in Ocarina of Time, the Zoras dwelt in freshwater; In The Wind Waker, the sea appears to be salinated. Is is probable that the Zoras (and other lifeforms) were unable to adapt to the new sea, and therefore evolved in different routes. Just a theory, though.

Why does everyone forget? The Zoras lived on Greatfish Isle, until Ganon blew it up...

Um...says who?

Says who indeed...
It would've been great if Zoras were in it.

Killsteel, they did not. It is never mentioned int he game, int eh game's manual, ahs never been declared by anyone at Nintendo... Anyway, This topic is being brought up so much mabey we should sticky this thread (or another one) and have it explain why they probably changed (NOT evolved, evolution takes far, far to long.) and why they may not have. I myself this that they changed, the Rito look amazingly similar to the Zora, and they seem to have a similar social structure. As to why, well, from Ganon's statement when you find him in his tower, There is no food in the water ("Water... Water... etc. water that yeilds no fish to eat" or something close to that., the Zora would starve. also, the water is packed with enemies, more so then in MM. Finally, mayhaps the gods didn't want them to find the barrier surrounding ancient Hyrule, that would be too much information to have on the loose.

I agree with Miniblin about them being turned into Ritos so they would not go into Hyrule. It's really the only logical explanation.

Originally Posted by ibjeremy

Well, recall that in Ocarina of Time, the Zoras dwelt in freshwater; In The Wind Waker, the sea appears to be salinated. Is is probable that the Zoras (and other lifeforms) were unable to adapt to the new sea, and therefore evolved in different routes. Just a theory, though.

Actually, in MM the Zora can live in Salt Water. In OoA they live there and don't seem to be able to live in fresh water...
Yet another case of Nintendo not being able to make up their minds.

The freshwater Zoras are River Zoras, and if memory serves, those are the dudes that spew fireballs at you in the gameboy games. I hate those dudes.

I could never figure out why the Zoras in OoT lived in freshwater...

Urm...Then why was Luna or whatever her name was in TWW a ghost? She said Ganondorf killed her to break the magic in the Master Sword...so...and she was the last Zora, but how in the hell, even after one hundred or one thousand (can't remember the story very clearly) years, a fish turn into a bird?

Oracle of Ages stated the difference between river Zoras and ocean Zoras. Even then, the Great Sea probably had nothing to sustain Zora life. Therefore, they needed to adapt to live upon land. Then they came across Dragon Roost Island and Valoo, then they gained the scales needed to fly.

Originally Posted by Ganon_dwarf

Killsteel, they did not. It is never mentioned int he game, int eh game's manual, ahs never been declared by anyone at Nintendo... Anyway, This topic is being brought up so much mabey we should sticky this thread (or another one) and have it explain why they probably changed (NOT evolved, evolution takes far, far to long.) and why they may not have. I myself this that they changed, the Rito look amazingly similar to the Zora, and they seem to have a similar social structure. As to why, well, from Ganon's statement when you find him in his tower, There is no food in the water ("Water... Water... etc. water that yeilds no fish to eat" or something close to that., the Zora would starve. also, the water is packed with enemies, more so then in MM. Finally, mayhaps the gods didn't want them to find the barrier surrounding ancient Hyrule, that would be too much information to have on the loose.

?????????

I swear, it says in the game the Zoras lived there! That's why KOTR was so sad, because the Zoras had all been killed. At least, that's what I thought happened, I haven't played in a while.....

I swear, it says in the game the Zoras lived there! That's why KOTR was so sad, because the Zoras had all been killed. At least, that's what I thought happened, I haven't played in a while.....

Ganon_dwarf is right, there were no mention of Zoras ever living on great fish isle.

And weren't the fish things in the GB games called Zolas? I think the were in LA anyway.

I am quite confused on this matter, I don't think Zoras naturally evolved to Ritos, but perhaps in a magic or more unnatural way, if at all.

Laruto said that Medli is her ancestor... I think she said that.

To be honest, I think Valoo transformed the Zoras or something of that style.

And Valoo, hmm... he speaks ancient Hylian, yet he's not in OoT. Ah well, perhaps he showed up a bit after OoT.