Sociable Killer Whales Surprise Humans With Gifts of Fresh Fish
Marine scientists who study orcas have been busy. They’ve seen the killer whales wearing fish as a fashion statement, using kelp to exfoliate, and of course harassing yachtsmen, just to be jerks. Now comes news that the apex predators are engaging in more altruistic behavior: they’re bringing us gifts.
Over a 20-year span, researchers have documented 34 cases of orcas approaching people and presenting them with fish, rays, squid or penguins – sometimes making several attempts after an initial refusal. The phenomenon has been observed off the coasts of California, New Zealand, Norway, and Patagonia.
The scientists established strict criteria for what constitutes a gift-giving event. The killer whales had to initiate the interaction on their own, without humans approaching them, and the “gifts” had to be placed directly in front of the person. The events occurred with people in the water, on boats, and in two cases with people standing on shore. In all but one encounter, the whales lingered after the offering, as if waiting for a thank-you.
The research, appearing in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, suggests a lofty orca agenda: “This behavior may represent some of the first accounts of any wild predator intentionally using prey and other items to directly explore human behavior and thus may highlight the evolutionary convergence of intellect between highest order primates and dolphins.”
Domesticated cats and dogs will sometimes share gifts with us, but it’s almost unheard of in the wild. Crows have been known to deliver shiny trinkets to favored humans, but an apex predator?
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are the largest species of dolphin. They are clearly smart, second only to humans in levels of encephalization – brain size relative to body size. Orcas are social animals – they travel together and cooperate on hunts – and now they appear to be making social overtures to us. What do we do and what are they going to do next?
Photo credit: Center for Whale Research
