the FUNNIEST piece of zelda lore is that in wind waker the fish people evolved into birds after the world flooded
and the reasoning is even better. the gods flooded the world to trap ganon and were like gods: phew! finally he’s gone and locked away! no one can get to the bottom of the ocean! zoras: hey gods: …………………………you fly now
its gets even better. they flooded the world at the command of the king of hyrule who made a wish on the triforce to seal ganon and the gods interpreted it as “Flood the world and bury the past” and THEN they were like “fuck we forgot about the fish”