Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: https://nebula.tv/videos/real-science-the-insane-biology-of-the-orca New streaming platform: https://watchnebula.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/realscience Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephaniesamma Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniesammann Credits: Narrator/Writer: Stephanie Sammann Editor: Dylan Hennessy (https://www.behance.net/dylanhennessy1) Illustrator/Animator: Kirtan Patel (https://kpatart.com/illustrations) Animator: Mike Ridolfi (https://www.moboxgraphics.com/) Sound: Graham Haerther (https://haerther.net) Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster (https://twitter.com/forgottentowel) Producer: Brian McManus (https://www.youtube.com/c/realengineering) Imagery courtesy of Getty Images Music: Timelapse by ANBR Unravel by Jon Gegelman iIsaac is Tripping by Spearfisher Two by Jameson Nathan Jones Fall Equinox by the Bows End of the Line by C.K. Martin Hope and Heisenberg by Spearfisher Additional Footage: Dreadfin Entertainment References: [1] https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/facts-about-orcas/ [2] https://phys.org/news/2017-05-orcas-prey-great-white-sharks.html [3] https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/the-first-whale-pakicetus [4] https://www.whaleresearch.com/about-orcas#:~:text=Male%20orcas%20usually%20grow%20to,(2%2D3%20m). [5] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/understanding-orca-culture-12494696/ [6] https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sound-strategy-hunting-southern-residents-part-2#:~:text=The%20whales%20hunt%20with%20echolocation,bounce%20back%20to%20the%20whale. [7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17348498/ [8] http://courses.washington.edu/fish538/resources/Au%20et%20al%202010%20salmon.pdf [9]https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-47335-w [10] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/scientists-plan-to-use-ai-to-try-to-decode-the-language-of-whales [11] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280780256_Acoustic_behaviour_of_resident_killer_whales_Orcinus_orca_off_Vancouver_Island_British_Columbia [12] https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/stream/pdf/831/1.0096602/1 [13] https://www.jstor.org/stable/1380981?casa_token=L30nHWeK8coAAAAA%3AbrD0GVcQ2Rb-WvxrMcbI6cQxqWlkTJKHqGYHmmAf1drv1k7zB4ivPU93f4L5vX4cAwOapvx_QmAjV3S4ex3fMxZDjrN8coZkxxsERab9WZULOhjctEA&seq=3#metadata_info_tab_contents [14] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230729878_Development_of_intentional_stranding_hunting_techniques_in_killer_whale_Orcinus_orca_calves_at_Crozet_Archipelago [15] https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms11693 [16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetacean_intelligence [17] https://psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Encephalization_quotient [18] https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.a.20075 [19] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376635701001346?np=y
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I once paddled alone by a pod of transient orcas. A big male split off from the pod and swam up to me. He seemed to be looking me over. It was uncanny and very scary. After what seemed like a very long "minute" he turned and splashed me, and his aim was perfect, the jet of water hit me directly in my face. I got the distinct impression that he wanted me to leave the area. (I was told later by a Haida watchman that they were hunting seals.) I had to laugh, after I got splashed, I was so relieved that he just saw fit to splash me rather than something much worse. I really could tell by his body movements that he was not being friendly. That was the only time I've ever been in the power of a creature that could have eaten me for lunch, and he decided to warn me rather than harm me. It was an experience I will never forget.
The fact that baby orcas have to learn their language shows how intelligent these beings are
the fact that whales/dolphins can legally just be kept at places like Seaworld is just insane given just the information in this video.
I will never get over the fact that baby whales babble just like human babies and end up learning the language of their pods
One of the coolest things to me about orcas that the video doesn’t mention is that there has never been a recorded human death from a wild orca. But orcas have been recorded and seen leading humans towards pods of whales to hunt. They might see humans as a potential symbiotic relationship since they’re known to eat human leftovers from whaling or snag stray fish when fishermen use nets. Just super cool that they easily could attack and kill humans but seemingly have no interest in doing so
What a dream it would be to be able to actually communicate to orcas at some point. Communicating with other intelligent species is so huge
The fact that they actually practice that beaching thing is so crazy to me. I thought they just tested it themselves and if they died, they died.
Keeping these beings captive is insanely unhuman
Think about it... the animal we call "killer", the apex predator of the sea that even goes after sharks and whales, the predator so intelligent it develops shockingly scary and precice hunting techniques is the one animal that might be closer to us in intelligence and emotional development than any other. Says a lot about us, doesn't it? No wonder they literally go insane in captivity. They're bored to death.
I love how many animals that are completely unrelated to each other, multiple times throughout life decided that if they scream loud enough, they can kind of see but not really
I've thought about the brain wrinkling. These animals HAVE to think in three dimensions all the time. Most mammals exist on a plane, of 2.5 dimensions at best. We place ourselves on the ground, and really only have to be aware of what's around us on the same plane, or ground. Whales and dolphins, have to be aware of what's around them and above and below them at all times. They are placing themselves in a constant three dimensional world. The spacial awareness is probably off the charts
13:13 This is probably why Keiko wasn't able to reconnect properly with any wild orcas. He was captured as a two year old calf, thus, he had the vocabulary equivilent to a two year old human baby. They couldn't understand him and thus wanted nothing to do with him.
With such a strong cultural component to their existence (and, possibly, emotional consciousness), you can see why captivity is so damaging for these creatures. The thought of such a complex and communal creature circling alone in a glorified swimming pool is horrific.
I remember one of the Shark Week episodes on DIscovery from a few years ago. They were, of course, focused on the sharks, but part of the story was the arrival of dolphins to the hunting grounds in the waters of South Africa. The 2 groups largely left each other alone. One morning, the researchers observed the sharks AND the dolphins all heading out in the same direction. The researchers knew immediately what was causing it: the only thing that would make both groups, white sharks and dolphins, flee in the same direction is a pod of orcas.
22:20 The evidence missed on self & outward awareness I wanted to see here is the study of depression & emotional trauma around injured or dead calves. It's truly heart breaking watching a young mother carry around the body of it's dead calf for weeks. Eventually accepting & releasing it or not. Either case can still lead to starving to death in a deep depression or eventual but rarely full recovery by the mother. All the while the rest of the pod trying to support the young mother as best they can. If that network of family doesn't show a higher emotional development I don't know what does.
I remember watching Black Fish and hearing one of the sailors sent to capture the first set of Orca calves remark about how when getting the calves in the boats the vocalizations they heard made them realize they were taking a baby and that its family was crying because of it. Really unnerving information for a college student aiming to become a scientist
I always hear "There is no recorded Killer whale attacks on humans in the wild". Then I wonder how many insane people have actually just leapt off a boat into the water to swim with them.
I love that seafaring mammals evolved out of the ocean, were unimpressed with the land, and just went back.
The idea that _maybe_ within my lifetime, it might be possible to actively communicate with an orca is astounding. I LOVE hearing about intelligent animals that aren't human. Orcas, crows, octopi, etc. Its so fascinating to me
As a linguist I would like to compliment you on your tone of voice, pacing and articulation as well as an excellent script for the narration. The video ran smoothly from one point to the next and practically every sentence contained pertinent information that drove the narrative forward at a pace that was manageable for the listener. Will definitely subscribe for more!