Researchers have documented 34 cases in four oceans around the world in which killer whales attempted to share their catches with humans, according to a study published today in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.

BC-based lead author Jared Towers of Bay Cetology told sixmountains.ca that three of the cases occurred in BC waters — two of which he personally observed near Alert Bay off northeastern Vancouver Island.

In 2015, a Bigg's, or transient, killer whale opened its mouth and “let out a dead murrelet. It drifted in front of the camera for four seconds and then she picked it up again and swam away,” he said.

In 2018, another Bigg’s killer whale approached with a freshly killed juvenile harbour seal and “just dropped it there right in front of where we were standing on the boat. She swam away, then came back to grab it again about 15 to 20 seconds later.

“She was alone at the time and began to eat it after recovering it.”

Towers said the behaviour is “extremely unusual to witness in any non-human animal and is suggestive of evolutionary convergence between orcas and people.” https://baycetology.org/

The whales approached people in boats in 21 of the cases, 11 times in the water, and twice on shore, dropping their catches and awaiting a response.

Five of the 34 cases occurred in eastern north Pacific, six in eastern tropical Pacific, 20 in western south Pacific around New Zealand, two in western south Atlantic off Argentina, and one in eastern north Atlantic near Norway.

In total, 18 species were offered — six fishes, five mammals, three invertebrates, two birds, one reptile, and one seaweed.