Introduction to Orca Behavior
Killer whales have been observed exhibiting "extremely unusual" behavior, where they approach people with gifts. Dozens of cases have been recorded, with some even caught on camera. The gifts given by the orcas include fish, birds, mammals, and even a turtle.
The Gift-Giving Process
The massive 5-ton orcas swim up to people, drop the object, and then wait for a response. This behavior is common among killer whales, but scientists are only now noticing the trend in human interactions. It’s not just a local phenomenon, as the whales have been seen giving gifts in Norway and New Zealand.
Social and Intelligent Animals
"Orca are very social and we often see them sharing food," said Dr. Ingrid Visser, study author. "It’s fascinating to document and describe their behavior when they try to interact with people in different places around the world." The orcas display cat-like behavior, carrying their gifts in their mouth and then releasing them in front of people as part of the "offer." They then wait to see what happens.
Prosocial Element
"In these cases, it seems to have a prosocial element," said main author Jared Towers. He explained that it’s "extremely unusual to observe a non-human animal" exhibiting this behavior. This type of behavior is often seen in cats and dogs, but it’s one of the first detailed descriptions of a similar behavior in non-domesticated animals.
Building Relationships
The researchers believe that this behavior shows how intelligent and social orcas use the structure of food to build relationships with their own kind and "unrelated individuals." Sometimes, orcas will even offer food to humans. "Orcas are apex predators who often eat other large mammals," said study author Vanessa Prigollini. "But when it comes to humans, they prefer to share, which shows their interest in building relationships outside their own species."
Incident Recordings
As part of the research, up to 34 incidents were collected. For 11 of them, people were in the water during the orca approach. And in 21 of the cases, people were on boats, with another two incidents where people were on the shore. For an incident to be recorded, the killer whale had to approach people and drop the object in front of them.
Waiting for a Response
In all cases, the orcas waited to see what would happen after the offer. In seven cases, the orcas tried to repeatedly offer food after it was rejected by people. Research was published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.
Characteristics of Orcas
Orcas are apex predators and roam all over the world. They are known to eat other smaller dolphins, fish, and other marine mammals like seals. There are no recorded incidents of orcas attacking people in the presence of these gift-giving behaviors.
Unique Behavior
Only a few days ago, two killer whales were filmed "kissing" in breathtaking, never-before-seen footage. The orca smooch was shot by scientists during a snorkeling trip in northern Norway. It shows the whales taking three separate episodes of "kissing" lasting 10, 26, and 18 seconds. Scientists described it as "tongue networking" and "exceptionally rare." Killer whales are highly intelligent and social animals, and this behavior is a testament to their unique nature.
