Wild Orcas Deliver 34 Gifts to Humans: Norway to New Zealand Stunned
Wild orcas, documented in 34 separate incidents from Norway to New Zealand, presented humans with gifts ranging from stingrays to a sea turtle—leaving scientists chasing answers to “why do orcas interact with humans?” and “are killer whales friendly to people?” In nearly every case, the orca hovered, expectantly, as if awaiting a Yelp review. “The whale hovered nearby, as if waiting to see what the human would do next.”
That expectant whale hover—like a bouncer with flippers—now has researchers theorizing that orcas may be testing humans with these gifts, possibly extending their own pod food-sharing rituals. Trending queries include “do orcas play fetch with humans?” and “has a killer whale ever saved a person?” The repeated underwater gift exchange, sometimes involving humans tossing the prize back, turns the ocean into the world’s most suspenseful Secret Santa.
Out of 34 recorded orca-to-human gift drops, 33 whales loitered to watch the human’s reaction—suggesting the orca’s true prize is our confusion, not the sea turtle.
