Killer Whales Are Giving Fish to Humans Worldwide – What’s Going on?

Across oceans and decades, killer whales have been caught doing something no one expected—offering food to humans.

From California to New Zealand, 34 documented incidents reveal orcas bringing fish, rays, and squid to people in the water, on boats, and even onshore. Scientists say this behavior, usually seen between whales as a bonding act, may show a surprising willingness to connect with humans. In some cases, the whales even tried more than once after being turned down, as if waiting for a response. What drives this mysterious generosity? Researchers think it could be cultural, playful—or a sign of something much deeper.

Global Instances of Orcas Gifting Food to Humans

Over a span of 20 years, scientists from Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico documented 34 surprising encounters in which wild orcas appeared to offer food to humans. These remarkable interactions happened across the globe—from the waters of California and New Zealand to 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,” said study lead author Jared Towers, of Bay Cetology in British Columbia, Canada. “That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.”

The research was published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.

The study, published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, brings together firsthand observations from researchers Jared Towers, Ingrid Visser, PhD (Orca Research Trust, New Zealand), and Vanessa Prigollini (Marine Education Association, Mexico).

They analyzed each case carefully, whether it came from their own experiences or from reports by others. In 11 of the encounters, the people were in the water. In 21 cases, they were on boats. In two, they were standing on the shore. Some of these moments were captured in photos and videos, while others were shared through detailed interviews.

Analyzing Two Decades of Human–Orca Food Sharing

To be included in the analysis, the incidents had to meet strict criteria: in each case, the whales had to have approached the people on their own (the people could not have approached the whales closely) and dropped the item in front of them. In all but one of the cases, the orcas waited to see what would happen after they made the offering, and in seven cases, they tried more than once to offer the food, after the people initially refused it.

Domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats, sometimes offer food to humans, but this research marks some of the first detailed descriptions of similar behavior in non-domesticated animals. It makes sense, according to the researchers, because orcas are intelligent and social animals that use food sharing as a way to build relationships with kin and unrelated individuals. They also often hunt prey much larger than themselves, and thus sometimes have food to spare.

Evolutionary Insights into Orca Prosocial Behavior

“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 researchers wrote. “Giving the advanced cognitive abilities and social, cooperative nature of this species, we assume that any or all of these explanations for, and outcomes of such behavior are possible.”

Reference: “Testing the Waters: Attempts by Wild Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) to Provision People (Homo sapiens)” by Jared R. Towers email the author, Ingrid N. Visser and Vanessa Prigollini, 2025, Journal of Comparative Psychology.

DOI: 10.1037/com0000422

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