Remarkable Video Shows an Orca Whale Trying to Speak to Humans On a Nearby Boat

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Written by Hannah Crawford

Updated: November 9, 2023

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Whale pod breaches
Tory Kallman/Shutterstock.com

Humans talk to each other, and animals communicate with each other, but have you ever wondered if animals try to communicate with humans? We believe they absolutely do try! The question is, are we listening?

In the video below, a group of orcas, commonly called killer whales, have gathered together like they often do. Like many animals that form groups, those groups have names. Such as lions have a pride, and cattle have herds. 

When orcas form groups, they are referred to as pods. Orca pods can grow anywhere from 5-30 members per group. However, some pods can be found to have 100 or more orcas. 

Once this small pod was formed, they were out enjoying the beautiful day. Lucky for them, a group of people are out on the water and come across them. They stop their boat to enjoy watching these orcas swim around. 

The orcas begin to make numerous sounds and blow the water out of their blowhole. It sounds humorous hearing the sounds these orcas are making. And we hear the group of people in the boat laughing.

Are Orcas Friendly To Humans?

What do whales eat - killer whale teeth

There are approximately 90,000 orcas (killer whales) left.

Given the name of a killer whale, it might initially seem that orcas may not be friendly to humans. And quite frankly, if we had no information other than their name, we would probably be terrified as well.

Let’s take a look at how big they are first!

How Big are Orcas (Killer Whales)?

killer whales swimming side by side

Orcas like to eat fish, squid, and seal.

Orcas of the family Delphinidae are rather large animals. They weigh approximately 6,000-15,000 pounds and reach lengths of 16-19 feet long. They can consume over 400 pounds of food a day to keep up with their large weight.

The orca has approximately 50 teeth. Couple that with their large body size; this makes for one enormous animal. However, remember that being large doesn’t necessarily mean being unfriendly and aggressive to humans. 

Are Orcas Friendly to Humans?

orcas

Orcas are hunted by larger sharks and also by humans.

Orcas are very friendly to humans, as we saw in the video below. The only key factor to remember is that, like any animal, if humans threaten them, they will react in kind. 

So they next time you are out hiking, or boating, or simply at the zoo and you hear animals making noises, they are most likely trying to communicate with you. Try saying something back in a soothing voice!

Is It Normal Behavior for an Orca to Communicate with Humans?

Orcas have been witnessed interacting with humans, sometimes demonstrating curiosity toward boats, swimmers, or surfers. In the case of boats, they have been known to ride in their wake or mimic sounds they hear like human voices or the rumble of boat engines. Some experts believe orcas are trying to communicate through this behavior. Others think they are merely playing.

There have also been occasions where orcas interacted with scuba divers, either observing them, offering them objects, or even making physical contact. While these behaviors from orcas have been documented, it’s not necessarily “normal.” Many orcas show no interest in interacting with boats or humans. And some orcas may interact because they’ve become used to human activity, as in areas where whale-watching tours occur.


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About the Author

Hannah Crawford is a writer at A-Z Animals where she focuses on reptiles, mammals, and locations in Africa. Hannah has been researching and writing about animals and various countries for over eight years. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Communication\Performance Studies from Pensacola Christian College, which she earned in 2015. Hannah is a resident in Florida, and enjoys theatre, poetry, and growing her fish tank.

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