Are orcas trying to make friends ? Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 Christopher Michel

It’s not unusual for a pet cat to drop a mouse or bird at your feet as a strange kind of gift — but when wild killer whales start doing something similar, it raises fascinating questions.

Over the past two decades, researchers from Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico have documented more than 30 instances of wild orcas offering fish, squid, or rays to humans. These gestures were directed at people on boats, standing near the shore, or even swimming in open water.

Even more remarkably, in some cases, the whales attempted to offer the food multiple times — as if they were waiting for the humans to accept the gift.

“Orcas often share food with one another as a social behavior to build and strengthen relationships within their pods,” said Jared Towers, lead author of the study. “The fact that they also appear to share with humans may suggest an interest in forming some kind of connection with us.”

Known for their advanced intelligence and complex social structures, orcas are among the most cognitively developed marine mammals. Their behaviors often mirror those of species with strong cultural learning and cooperative tendencies.

According to the researchers, this offering behavior could serve multiple purposes: a way to practice social or cultural behaviors, an exploratory or playful act, or a means of initiating interaction with humans.

“Given the species’ high cognitive abilities and social nature, it’s entirely possible that all of these explanations may coexist,” the study notes.

So, are orcas really trying to befriend us? While we can’t say for certain, one thing is clear — these ocean giants are far more curious and socially complex than we once imagined.