Surprisingly, killer whales also know how to 'French kiss'

whale - Photo 1.

Two killer whales kissing - Photo: OCEANS

After the "trend" of wearing salmon hats and using kelp to "massage" each other, scientists accidentally caught and recorded images of wild killer whales (Orcinus orca) "French kissing" in Norway's Kvænangen fjord, according to ScienceAlert on July 3.

“This interaction lasted nearly two minutes and included several gentle, face-to-face mouth contacts,” marine scientist Javier Almunia, director of the Loro Parque Foundation, and colleagues describe.

Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), also known as white whales, have also been known to interact orally with each other in the wild. However, similar behavior in killer whales has previously only been observed in captivity, according to a 2019 study by a team of German and Spanish scientists.

“We recorded ‘gentle tongue biting’ behavior when one animal’s teeth touched another animal’s tongue without biting it,” the team explained.

Killer whales kiss in the wild - Source: YOUTUBE

In a study of captive beluga whales, kissing was mostly performed by younger whales, possibly as a form of play that improves their motor and social skills. None of the species showed signs of aggression during these interactions.

The researchers suggest that killer whales may use this behavior to help maintain their social relationships. It may also be a cultural trend, a game played by the animals in the pod, similar to the trend of wearing dead salmon hats or the tendency of killer whales in the Mediterranean to attack sailboats.

Whatever the purpose behind killer whale kissing, a series of surprising behaviors recently discovered in killer whales shows that there is still much we don't know about this remarkable animal species in the world .

The study was published in the journal Oceans .

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ANH THU

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bat-ngo-ca-voi-sat-thu-cung-biet-hon-kieu-phap-20250703131934056.htm