Latest news with #foodsharing
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Wild Orcas Sometimes Offer To Share Their Lunch With Humans
They amuse us by wearing salmon hats, enrage us by sinking our expensive yachts, and now they have been documented sharing their meals with us – why? Food sharing amongst orcas can also be extended to include food sharing with humans. (Credit: Jared ... More Towers with kind permission.) A recent report reveals that wild orcas, Orcinus orca, also known as killer whales, sometimes offer food to humans, according to the report's lead author, Jared Towers, executive director of Bay Cetology, a whale research organization based in British Columbia. Orcas are the oceans' apex predators – the top predators in the seas – and they have correspondingly large brains that are second only to humans in relation to their body size. So clearly, they are capable of advanced communication skills (even including mimicking human speech; more here), cognition and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, prey sharing is common in orca culture, so maybe sharing their lunch with humans is not really so strange after all. In fact, throughout the world, orcas of every age have presented prey to humans, and just about everything was on the menu: from sea otters, harbor seals, and gray whales, to green turtles, eagle rays, starfish, jellyfish, and even common murres, just to name a few species. F I G U R E 1 : Spatial and Temporal Overview of Provisioning Attempts Note. (A) The locations of ... More each offering. (B) The timeline of events by geographic region. ENA = Eastern North Atlantic; ENP = Eastern North Pacific; ETP = Eastern Tropical Pacific; WSA = Western South Atlantic; WSP = Western South Pacific. Dr Towers, along with a team of researchers from Aotearoa New Zealand and Mexico investigated 34 interactions that occurred during the past 20 years when wild orcas attempted to share prey with people in various locations of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans from California to Norway to Patagonia (Figure 1). F I G U R E 2 : Locations of People and Status of Prey During Provisioning Attempts Note. (A) Where ... More people were located when offerings were made in each geographic region. (B) The status and condition of items being offered by geographic region. ENP = Eastern North Pacific; ETP = Eastern Tropical Pacific; WSP = Western South Pacific; WSA = Western South Atlantic; ENA = Eastern North Atlantic. For this study, Dr Towers and collaborators only included incidents that met particular criteria: the whales had to have approached the people on their own volition rather than the people closely approaching the whales, and dropped the prey item in front of them. It's interesting to point out that in all but one of the cases, the orcas waited to see what would happen after they made the offering, and in seven cases, the orcas tried more than once to offer the prey item after the people initially refused it. On 11 of the occasions, people were in the water when the orcas approached them, in 21 cases, they were on boats, and in two cases they were on the shore (Figure 2). Some of the interactions were captured on video and in photos; others were described in interviews with the researchers. A pair of wild Orcas breaching in Alaskan coastal waters. (Via PickPik / CC0, Public domain.) Clearly, the orcas have a reason for sharing food with humans, but what is it? 'Orcas often share food with each other – it's a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,' Dr Towers explained. 'That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.' According to Dr Towers and collaborators, this altruistic behavior makes sense because orcas are intelligent and highly social animals that use food sharing as a way to build relationships with kin as well as unrelated individuals. Further, because orcas often hunt prey much larger than themselves, they may sometimes have food to spare. 'I suspect that individual killer whales from several populations around the world having been documented offering people prey reflects how foundational prey sharing and any associated reciprocity is to the evolution of the species (like it is in humans),' Dr Towers told me in email. 'This said, some populations do it more than others, which is not surprising given their differing levels of dietary specialization, resource availability, etc.' Orca dorsal fin with West Point lighthouse in background. (Credit: Discovery Park Staff, Seattle ... More Parks and Recreation / CC BY 4.0) As a native of Seattle, I was disappointed to learn that the local wild orca family pods (sometimes known as 'resident orcas' to distinguish them from the more widely roaming 'transient orcas') have never been known to share their lunches with humans – although they are famous for wearing 'salmon hats' on their heads. 'Some readers may wonder if resident orcas have ever been documented offering people food and if not, why. The answer is no, they have not, despite decades of research on them,' Dr Towers told me in email. 'This may be because being strict dietary specialists they have less to gain through exploratory behaviour to acquire general knowledge in their environment. Furthermore, there may be times when they can not afford to share their food because their prey resources are often limited.' Family of orcas swimming near an expensive yacht that may be fleeing from them That said, it is interesting to note that another group of orcas – naughty, mischievous orcas – living along the Iberian Peninsula and coastal Spain that seem to delight in sinking rich people's yachts will sometimes offer people chunks of tuna. How should people react if an orca tries to share food with them? Although the behavior is rare, Dr Towers says that you should document the interaction either with photographs or film, without touching the offering, and share it with the behavioral scientists at Bay Centology so we can learn more about this unusual behavior. What do these examples of wild orcas offering to share their lunches with us tell us about them? 'I think in some cases these whales are very curious and this is just highlighting exactly how curious they can become,' Dr Towers replied. '[K]iller whales are very complex and evolved animals,' Dr Towers added, 'and that we should consider this when it comes to co-existing with them as top apex predators of different biomes on this planet.' Source: Jared R. Towers , Ingrid N. Visser, and Vanessa Prigollini (2025). Testing the Waters: Attempts by Wild Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) to Provision People (Homo sapiens), Journal of Comparative Psychology | doi:10.1037/com0000422 © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | MeWe | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tumblr | Twitter
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-07-2025
- Science
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Killer Whales Found Sharing Food with Humans
Killer whales sometimes offer to share their prey with people, a new study finds, hinting that some intelligent orcas may be attempting to develop relationships with humans. Pet animals such as cats sometimes leave prey at their owner's feet or doorstep, often as a display of affection or as a sense of sharing food with 'family.' But such behavior hadn't been documented among animals in the wild. Until now, that is. The new study documenting orcas offering food to humans in the wild challenges assumptions about animal social behavior, revealing a poorly understood interplay between marine mammals and humans that's playful and social. In the new study, published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, and reported by The Independent newspaper, researchers from Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico document 34 interactions over two decades involving orcas attempting to offer food to humans. These incidents took place across the world, in the oceans off California, New Zealand, Norway, and Patagonia. 'Orcas often share food with each other. It's a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,' study lead author Jared Towers said. 'That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.' The researchers analyzed each of the 34 instances of food sharing and found that people were in the water when the orcas approached them on 11 occasions. In 21 instances the humans were on boats and in two instances they were on the shore. In each of these cases, the killer whales approached the people on their own and dropped their prey in front of them. 'This behavior may represent some of the first accounts of a wild predator intentionally using prey, and other items, to directly explore human behavior,' the researchers wrote. 'These features all suggest that killer whales possess the capacity and motivation to share for multiple reasons which could include short– or long-term tangible, intellectual, or emotional benefits, none of which are mutually exclusive.' The researchers also found that the orcas waited around to see what would happen after they made the offering to humans in all but one instance. The marine mammals also tried to be persuasive, offering the food more than once in seven cases after the people initially refused it. Since orcas are intelligent and social animals, the researchers suspect food sharing may be a way to build relationships with kin and unrelated individuals. As the killer whales often hunt large prey, they have food to spare. 'Offering items to humans could simultaneously include opportunities for killer whales to practice learned cultural behavior, explore or play and, in so doing, learn about, manipulate or develop relationships with us,' the study said. The study also showed that, 'Given the advanced cognitive abilities and social, cooperative nature of this species, we assume that any or all these explanations for, and outcomes of such behavior are possible.'
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Killer whales seen ‘attempting to create relationships with humans'
A new study reveals that killer whales occasionally offer their prey to humans, suggesting an attempt to develop relationships. This behaviour, previously documented in domestic animals like cats, marks the first time such food-sharing has been observed and studied in wild predators. Researchers analysed 34 instances over two decades across various global locations, where orcas approached humans and presented them with prey. The study indicates that orcas often waited for a human reaction and, in some cases, re-offered the food if initially refused, showing persistence. Experts suggest this food-sharing could be a way for these intelligent and social marine mammals to build connections, practice learned behaviors, or explore human interaction.
-retrieves-most-of-an-eagle-ray-after-offering-it-to-a-human-underwa.jpeg%3Ftrim%3D748%2C15%2C126%2C653%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Killer whales found sharing food with humans for first time in groundbreaking study
Killer whales sometimes offer to share their prey with people, a new study finds, hinting that some intelligent orcas may be attempting to develop relationships with humans. Pet animals such as cats sometimes leave prey at their owner's feet or doorstep, often as a display of affection or as a sense of sharing food with "family". But such behaviour hadn't been documented among animals in the wild. Until now, that is. The new study documenting orcas offering food to humans in the wild challenges assumptions about animal social behaviour, revealing a poorly understood interplay between marine mammals and humans that's playful and social. In the new study, published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, researchers from Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico document 34 interactions over two decades involving orcas attempting to offer food to humans. These incidents took place across the world, in the oceans off California, New Zealand, Norway, and Patagonia. "Orcas often share food with each other. It's a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,' study lead author Jared Towers said. 'That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.' The researchers analysed each of the 34 instances of food sharing and found that people were in the water when the orcas approached them on 11 occasions. In 21 instances the humans were on boats and in two instances they were on the shore. In each of these cases, the killer whales approached the people on their own and dropped their prey in front of them. 'This behaviour may represent some of the first accounts of a wild predator intentionally using prey, and other items, to directly explore human behaviour,' the researchers wrote. 'These features all suggest that killer whales possess the capacity and motivation to share for multiple reasons which could include short– or long-term tangible, intellectual, or emotional benefits, none of which are mutually exclusive.' The researchers also found that the orcas waited around to see what would happen after they made the offering to humans in all but one instance. The marine mammals also tried to be persuasive, offering the food more than once in seven cases after the people initially refused it. Since orcas are intelligent and social animals, the researchers suspect food sharing may be a way to build relationships with kin and unrelated individuals. As the killer whales often hunt large prey, they have food to spare. "Offering items to humans could simultaneously include opportunities for killer whales to practise learned cultural behaviour, explore or play and, in so doing, learn about, manipulate or develop relationships with us," the study said. "Given the advanced cognitive abilities and social, cooperative nature of this species, we assume that any or all these explanations for, and outcomes of such behaviour are possible.'
CTV News
30-06-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Orcas sharing prey with humans may be trying to learn ‘who we are,' researcher says
An orca offers a diver a piece of Eagle Ray liver off New Zealand in the Western South Pacific as shown in this handout image provided by Orca Research Trust. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Orca Research Trust (Mandatory Credit) Jared Towers was in his research vessel on two separate occasions watching killer whales off the coast of Vancouver Island when the orcas dropped their prey directly in front of him and his colleagues. The encounters he describes as 'rare' and awe-inspiring have led to a new study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Comparative Psychology, detailing researchers' experiences with killer whales apparently sharing their food with humans. 'We have a long history of interacting with other animals, trying to feed them and gauging their responses. But it's very rare for any wild predator to do the same to us,' says Towers, who is the executive director of the research group Bay Cetology. 'This is really the first report of any kind in the literature documenting these cases for killer whales.' Towers says he and his colleagues were cruising along when an orca appeared, setting off the second encounter in 2018. They stopped and watched it swim around before it reappeared and released a freshly killed seal next to the boat. 'She could have dropped it off the stern or the bow, but she dropped it right in the middle of the vessel, right next to us,' says Towers. 'We just sat there watching this thing sink down into the water for about 10 or 15 seconds until she did a bit of a circle and came back and picked it up.' It followed an encounter in 2015 that involved an orca opening its mouth and releasing a dead ancient murrelet, a kind of seabird, directly beside Towers' boat. He says that orca also left its prey floating for a few moments before taking it again. 'It left us a bit awestruck,' says Towers, adding the two cases stand out among the thousands of encounters with killer whales he's had around the world. 'I started to think about these animals a bit differently at that point.' Towers and his colleagues began an investigation that led to the study published on Monday, which examines 34 instances in which killer whales around the world appeared to offer their prey to humans. The researchers wanted to ensure the study only examined cases where whales were 'going out of their way to engage with people rather than vice versa,' says Towers, who is based in Alert Bay, B.C., off northwestern Vancouver Island. In order to be included in the study, the whales had to approach humans directly. Researchers considered cases where people had not approached the whales at a distance closer than 50 metres in the five minutes prior to the interaction taking place. In all but one of the situations, the study says the whales were observed waiting for people to respond before either recovering or abandoning their prey. 'These weren't mistakes. They weren't like the killer whales accidentally dropped the food. They wanted to see how people responded,' Towers says. The study does not rule out any selfish motivations behind the behaviour. But Towers says he feels the apparent prey sharing is 'altruistic' and 'pro-social.' Sharing food among relatives and other orcas is foundational for the whales, and in attempting to provision humans with prey, he says it could be an example of the whales practicing a cultural behaviour or exploring humans' capacity to respond. 'I think these cases may really be pro-social representations of conscious learning where these whales are going out of their way to actually try and understand ... who we are and how we might interact with them in their environment,' Towers says. Given the advanced cognitive abilities and the social, co-operative nature of killer whales as a species, the study says the researchers 'assume that any or all these explanations for, and outcomes of, such behaviour are possible.' The whales in the study were transient orcas off the coasts of B.C. and Alaska, the Eastern Tropical Pacific population off the coast of California, along with killer whales off the coasts of New Zealand, central Argentina and Norway. All of the 'offering' events took place between 2004 and 2024, the study says. Orcas commonly use prey to engage in play, and the study acknowledges that 38 per cent of the prey-sharing cases it examined appeared to incorporate play. The whales may have been using their prey to instigate play with humans, it says. But for several reasons, the study says the researchers do not believe play was the driving factor behind the apparent offerings. Play often occurs after whales have met their nutritional needs, but in the cases of prey sharing with humans, the offerings were whole in about half of the encounters. The orcas in the study mostly recovered the prey after it wasn't accepted by humans and often went on to share it with other whales. In most cases, the interactions did not last longer than 30 seconds. By contrast, the study says the whales typically engage in play more continuously. The study concludes the whales possess the capacity and motivation to share food for multiple reasons that could include intellectual or emotional benefits. 'Offering items to humans could simultaneously include opportunities for killer whales to practice learned cultural behaviour, explore, or play and in so doing learn about, manipulate, or develop relationships with us,' it says. Towers says he hopes the study provides an opportunity for people to look at killer whales in a different light, sparking curiosity about their capacity to think 'and perhaps even have some convergent evolution of intellect with us.' The researchers strongly discourage people from accepting any prey offered by orcas, due to the potential for both species to harm one another, Towers adds. This report by Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025.
