Posted on 07/03/2025 7:23:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Wild orcas, also known as Killer whales, have been spotted offering food to humans in unusual interactions recorded over the past 20 years, according to a new study that has scientists searching for answers.
The findings, published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, describe 34 confirmed cases where orcas voluntarily approached humans and dropped sea creatures near them. These offerings included fish, seabirds, stingrays, whale parts, seaweed, and even a turtle. Most interactions were observed off the coasts of California, Norway, and New Zealand.
The orcas often paused after delivering the prey, as if watching to see how people would respond. In some cases, they repeated the action more than once. On three occasions, humans handed the items back, and the orcas returned them.
Researchers consider the behavior to be social bonding Jared Towers, lead author of the study and executive director of Bay Cetology, a marine research institute in Canada, said the behavior may mirror how orcas bond.
“Orcas often share food with each other,” Towers said in a statement. “It’s a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other.”
Grecian Delight supports Greece The researchers included only well-documented cases (either filmed or confirmed through interviews) and excluded unclear or secondhand reports. Each recorded event involved orcas approaching humans on their own while people were in the sea, near the shoreline, or aboard boats.
Food sharing is likely not a form of play While orcas are known for playful behavior, such as tossing objects or even damaging boat rudders, scientists believe the food offerings were not part of a game. According to the study, there was little evidence that the whales were toying with the prey. The gestures appeared intentional, not playful.
Researchers suggested that orcas may be practicing learned behavior, exploring their environment, or testing human reactions. However, the exact reason remains unclear.
Experts praise cautious, detailed research Erich Hoyt, a senior researcher at Whale and Dolphin Conservation who was not involved in the study, praised the authors’ careful approach. “The study was done carefully, removing borderline cases, and the method was clearly explained,” Hoyt said in an email. “The authors are suitably careful about the conclusions and suggesting various explanations.”
Hoyt also noted that the behavior wasn’t limited to playful young orcas. Whales of all ages and sexes were involved, pointing to a broader social pattern.
Behavior tied to specific hunting groups All the orcas in the study were generalist hunters. These whales typically feed on surface fish and air-breathing animals such as seals and other whales. None of the interactions involved deep-water fish hunters, despite some of those orcas being familiar with humans.
Whales that hunt large prey often share food within their pods, Hoyt explained. It’s not surprising that those used to cooperative hunting might be more inclined to offer food, even to humans.
The findings shed light on the social complexity of orcas and suggest they may be capable of initiating unexpected, possibly symbolic interactions with people. Still, scientists agree: the meaning behind the behavior remains a mystery.
My cat likes to bring me rodents...drops the darn things-alive and kicking- right at my feet. Then she gets all disgusted and gives me the stink eye when I can’t catch it as it races off.
Dogs are known to regurgitate food for others. I think it’s a mating ritual.
Lots of sea creatures caught in nets etc are saved by humans. This could be a recognition of ‘sameness’...
Stacy Abrams has been observed doing this at Golden Corral.
My mother’s cat would present little offerings on the back steps, perfectly arranged in a little row of dead bodies of mice.
Maybe they aren’t sharing but rather showing the scientists what will happen to them if they don’t stop messing with them
Maybe some Orca’s are trying to get some action with a dingy?
My cats used to do that all the time.
5.56mm
When I was living in Alaska, I had one offer to sell me some Girl Scout cookies.
Something that I’m curious about though — “Wild Orcas” — are there tame ones? 🤔
Richard Kiel... was also in Happy Gilmore, and I think he played “Jaws” in one of the Bond movies...
They are just checking on which bait works the best...
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That’s not food, that’s bait.
This is nice. After they sink your boat, they’ll bring something to eat to your life raft.
Hold on, Fetterman?❤️
Sea World had tame ones..
my thought is that over the years divers have remove hooks and netting that the orcasa have been tangled up in....they communicate with each other’s I would not be surprised if it turned out they were trying to communicate with humans in a substantive way.....think of how humanity has been trying find and communicate with aliens. the orca’s behavior is akin to the same human behavior. We are the alien encounter.
The whales were testing us. Not sure if we passed or failed.
When Stacy goes to the beach - people try to push her back into the water
There was. much screaming and thrashing about, salad went everywhere.
You should have seen the look of disdain she gave me.
Every morning after we had a big thunderstorm, she would show up with a bird. I have no idea what the connection was, but without fail, a storm = bird on the patio and she would be meeping at me through the sliding glass door to come out and look at it at 3 am.
One morning I was able to save a baby mourning dove from her and had to drive it 30 minutes to a wildlife rehab.
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