Orca Research Trust
Researchers have observed an intriguing behavior in killer whales: they sometimes share their prey with humans. While we can’t ask the whales directly, scientists believe this may be an attempt to form connections with people.
In 34 Cases Over Two Decades, Orcas Offered Food to Humans—Often Watching Closely for a Reaction
A recent study analyzed 34 recorded instances from the past 20 years where orcas offered food—ranging from fish and mammals to invertebrates and seaweed—to humans across various locations. Notably, in most cases, the whales paused to watch how humans responded before either retrieving or abandoning the offering. This suggests a genuine curiosity about human reactions.
Video courtesy of the researchers
Study Finds Orcas’ Food Sharing with Humans May Be Prosocial, Culturally Learned Behavior
The research team, which included marine biologist Jared Towers from British Columbia, Canada, recently published their findings in the Journal of Comparative Psychology. After analyzing nearly three dozen cases of killer whales approaching humans—whether in the water, on boats, or along the shore—the team concluded that these behaviors are likely examples of prosocial, culturally learned actions as the orcas engage in interspecies interaction.
This conclusion aligns with known orca behavior, as they commonly share food to strengthen social bonds within their pods. The researchers suggest that offering items to humans may serve multiple purposes: allowing orcas to practice cultural behaviors, engage in play, satisfy curiosity, or even build relationships with people. Given their high intelligence and social nature, the team believes all these motivations and outcomes are plausible.
To conclude, we appear to be in a wave of remarkable discoveries about these captivating animals. Just last month, researchers found that killer whales use tools as part of a grooming routine. We’ve also recently gained insight into why they’ve been ramming luxury yachts in Europe, and uncovered how they’ve mastered the technique of hunting the world’s largest sharks.
Read the original article on: New Atlas