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Call for questions: ORCAS (Patreon)

Published:
2026-09-21 19:50:57
Edited:
2026-09-23 00:23:02
Imported:

Content

Orcas (aka killer whales) rule the ocean as apex predators. These big baddies and their big brains are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. There's been a massive anti-captivity campaign and movement to protect their populations. But what else should we know about orcas? Post your questions in the comments!

⚠️ Deadline: Tuesday, September 22 at 5pm PST

⚠️ QUESTIONS ARE CLOSED

Files

Comments

emily swinson

How does the oologist feel about the documentary blackfish? I’ve heard love and hate for it

ashley widener

What do the experts think about calling them “killer whales” vs “orcas”? I’ve heard mixed opinions!

Rey Castillo

Can we please talk about how orcas have different accents or regional dialects depending on where in the world they’re located?? Real or flim flam?

Travis Justice

Are orcas intentionally setting fashion trends, like wearing a dead fish on their heads, or is it all coincidence?

Bel Jensen-Hill

I went to a feature exhibit on Orcas that had a lot to say about conservation and the personhood debate; what does the oligist think about assigning personhood to Orcas and other whales for the purpose of conservation?

Kyhlykat

How far will they beach themselves to hunt a land animal and what are those success rates for doing so

Mykenzie King

I heard each pod has a different dialect, is that true?? Also shoutout to them being matrilenal 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

Alexis Culley

How did they get so smart? And like how smart are they? Out of the other marine mammals, where do they stand in intelligence ranking?

Kristina Weaver

Orcas wearing fish on their heads as a fashion statement? Is this an accurate description of what their doing or are there other possibilities?

James Nance

Is "Will You Be There" everyone else's favorite Michael Jackson song?

ashley widener

Can they discuss the ethics of whale watching? I know it’s possible to find more “ethical” tour providers who stay the proper distance away and try not to spend too much time following the same pods. But do whale watching tours cause harm?

Austin Johnson

My wife has a dream to paddle board with orcas in Norway. How safe is that? Will I be orca food or are they not interested in my skinny bones?

Mie [me-ay]

would LOVE to talk about their hatred of yachts and how they’re the only natural predator of moose (also alie pls… moose episode when)

Paige’s Dad

Is it true that there is a cove/bay just outside Seattle that the Orcas will not go into? This being due to the fact that this cove was used to capture Orcas decades ago?

Luis H.

1. They go through menopause? SAY MORE! 2. To what extent do they have language and culture?

Matt and Lesley

Why do they crave billionaire’s blood? Asking for a friend. (My husband kveching in the background that my phrasing could be more eloquent.) But seriously, when we went to Alaska four years ago, my father-in-law orcha-strated (pun intended) a whale watching boat tour and at one point we were surrounded by a pod of killer whales and this was the same summer there were all the reports of orcas sinking yachts. So to calm my anxiety riddled brain, what is the occurrence rate of orcas deliberately sinking boats?

Jason E. Farabaugh

What is the difference between orcas & Bigg's whales?

Amy Narimatsu

Holyshitholyshit YES Is it true they have regional dialects? Why do they hunt sharks for their livers? What's the oldest orca ever recorded in the wild? Do different pods exhibit different hunting strategies?

INTOTHEDEEPSEA

IM SO EXCITED, I LOVE ORCAS!! What are the white facial markings/patterns above their eyes? Intimidation or something regarding mate attraction? How do orcas play? Do adults play as well? Do orcas stay with the pod they were born into their whole lives? How to orcas communicate amongst one another? Do different pods have sound or method variations to differentiate from each? What did the ancestors of orcas look like? Thank you!! I'm always beyond happy to get episodes on aquatic organisms!!

Jason E. Farabaugh

What is the difference between resident & transient killer whales?

Arlo Waggoner

What’s the deal with orcas and wearing dead fish as hats? Do you think other orcas get jealous of other orcas fish hats?

Mrs. Potato Head

I live in WA and our Southern Resident Killer Whales are endangered partly because the salmon they eat are decreasing in numbers and some of those fish are endangered as well. What are the chances the SRKWs would evolve to eat other tasty ocean offerings such as seals, like the transient orcas do, before their numbers dwindle too low?

MeganTheLibrarian765

I feel like I’ve heard they’re technically a porpoise/dolphin and not whales at all. Is this true? Also, I’ve heard they’ve been attacking yachts in recent years. Why do they do that? Is it their way of saying “eat the rich”?

Syd

How good are orcas memories? Also orca menopause??

Jason E. Farabaugh

What effect does climate change have on killer whale territory, expanding north into areas where there are narwhals & belugas?

Mrs. Potato Head

How did orcas get to be anti-billionaire yacht-destroyers (big fan of this behavior)?

Matt and Lesley

I love this! As somebody who works in hospitality and tourism, I spend a lot of time thinking about sustainable tourism, and the impact on the environment tourists have! That’s such a good question (and I’m ashamed to admit something I should have thought of before going on a whale watching tour myself).

Tijs

(FTQA) The attacks on boats, are they taking revenge on humans?

emchap23

Is it possible for a captive orca that has experienced psychosis to be released in the wild and thrive? Or is the damage already done?

Laura McLean

FINALLY! Yay! Can we talk about the recent videos of orcas absolutely decimating sunfish? SO METAL 🤘

Matt and Lesley

Also, can we talk about them being a feminist icon? We love a matrilineal species!

Stephany Davidson

How big is each pod typically and do numbers fluctuate through seasons at all? I would also love to hear the ologist talk about tracking and reaserch on orcas over the years and how our systems might have improved or changed with what we mightve learned?

emchap23

Are orcas really emotionally intelligent or do we tend to project our human emotions/actions onto them?

Gray Gilmore

I absolutely love orcas but they are so vicious and sometimes cruel! Do they get a free pass because we can't get over how cute they are?

Cloud

I’m sure this crowd has all heard about the fish-on-heads and sinking yachts trends amongst different pods. What’s the social driver here? Are there any other quirky trends the ologist knows of?

Faith Stemmler

Does orca society operate similar to dolphins? Are their pods small and rigid or are they friendly and accepting of new orcas?

ashley widener

Same! I was just on one yesterday viewing orcas. I did my best to research and find an ethical provider. But still had mixed feelings seeing how many boats were following a pod of 4 while they were feeding. But then it sparked a lot of great conversations about conservation and protections with people seeing them for the first time! And the orcas came right up to the boats while apparently playing around. So would love to hear from the experts!

Lauren

The southern residents killer whale mothers (SRKW) have been observed carrying dead calves on their backs for a matter of days. How can we interpret this behavior? As it has also been seen in pilot whales and dolphins as well.

Kaylee Hawkes

What’s the deal with Old Thom in the Gulf of Maine? Why is he a loner and there’s no other orcas like…at all SO HAPPY FOR A WHALE EPISODE!!!!!!!!

Nicky G

Which orca pods/families do we know the most about? Hello from the Puget Sound, where we LOVE our resident and transient orca friends!

Kai

I can barely contain my excitement to hear this episode!!! I have many questions about orcas, including, would an orca pod adopt a human pod friend (me) or would they view me as a snack? But I will ask a more serious question of the ologist, which is, “How do orcas sleep? Do they all sleep at the same time, or do they take turns?” Thank you!

Matt Ceccato

How realistic is the 1977 movie “Orca the Killer Whale?”

Sam B

I have been waiting for this episode for so long. Orcas are one of my favourite animals. I am very curious whats the ologists opinion is on the subspecies debate that has been going on is. :)

Al Hamm

Is the orca hate towards boats in the last few years just business as usual and receiving more press or is it actually occurring more often? If it is occurring more often, what's contributing? Are humans more in their spaces (and playing victim) or are the orcas intentionally defending their turf?

ashley widener

I’ve heard we smell repulsive to them so they don’t want to eat us 🤣 would love to know if that’s true

Cloud

Also, I’ve heard resident orcas can find their favorite fish prey by using echolocation to ID swim bladder shape. How picky do these guys get with their diet and do they have any other methods of IDing prey?

Adam T. Berns

Fact or flim-flam: orcas are actually the largest species of dolphin and "killer whale" is actually a misnomer (regardless of KILLER aspect of the moniker)? Is it a case of all dolphins are toothed-whales, but not all toothed-whales (e.g., sperm whales) are dolphins?

Curious pickle

First time question asker from Australia… My uncle and aunt once saw Orcas off the coast of Tasmania, and with the rising sea temperatures will it be more likely that they will spend more time down south? Is it likely their migration patterns will change? Long live the pod! (Both podcast & whale family)

Brenda Torres

Do we know why they don’t attack humans? Are we just not that interesting? Or is there some mutual understanding of each other’s intelligence and “personhood” that makes them view us closer to equals? Sort of how as humans were ok with eating some animals but the more we perceive them as intelligent and like us the more we respect them and are less likely to eat them.

Grace Conroy

Are orcas endangered? If so, what are the protections in place and are they effective in your opinion?

Nicky G

What is your favorite tidbit of orca culture? Dead fish hats? Unique dialects? Yacht revenge?

Kelsey Lafferty

How can we most effectively help the resident pods in the Pacific Northwest? Should the work be focused on removing dams/more protective legislation/farming and restoring the chinook salmon? Also, do you think it’s possible for the residents to adapt to a changing diet to survive?

Amber

Is there any way to know more about their society? They have family, fashion, play, community... They're obviously intelligent. And I hear the they're one of the few species (humans and wolves and crows included) that can hold grudges against other species?

Hilda Z.

Pandas of the sea! How did they get the nickname “killer whale?” Also, what started the captivity trend of these whales? Did humans think it was too dangerous for them in the wild; were some of them injured; or was it greedy tourism trap?

Leila Laco

Do we know the purpose of the white markings around their eyes?

Priyal

I'd also love to know about the salmon hats and other trends in orca groups. What does this tell us about their lives?

Skype a Scientist

Why do people always rub their tongues in captivity? like what the hell is that about?

Lucy Abigail

orcas are my absolute favorite animals so you have no idea how excited i am for this. how much do you know about Spong’s research with Skana, where she supposedly was answering questions with high accuracy and then started getting them wrong to mess with him/to indicate she was over it? i can barely find anything about this online, so i want to hear your take on it. is the story true? can/do orcas do this kind of thing with researchers? what do you think it says about their intelligence and ability to communicate?

Amy Burlette

The orcas that are ‘targeting’ boats, is this learned behavior? Are there specific orcas doing this? What could be the possible causes for this behavior?

Mads

How can we resolve the issue with the orca pod off Portugal that has been sinking yachts? What should you do if your boat is attacked? I'm concerned the whales will be exterminated if the habit continues.

Alyssa T

Is it true that they’ve recently started predating on sea otters? I’ve heard that sharks don’t typically eat them because of all the fur but then I heard about orca’s increased predation.

ashley widener

What does their spray smell like? Is it the same as our exhale just with more water? Do they get bad breath?

Nancy Gleason

This is my exact question as well. Hello from a WA neighbor!

Peter Bourdelle

Much press on whale & orca languages. Shouldn't they make use of famous "Animal Communicators: Anna Breytenbach. Or Terri Steuben? Look up "the Panther named Diablo" (Anna uses Crows like GPS)

Jennifer Grogan

Seconding this! My son really wants to go on a whale-watching tour, and we live in Seattle so he sees ads for them all the time when we go downtown, but I am deeeeeeply ambivalent and concerned because I've heard stories about the tour boats not following the rules and approaching too close / chasing the whales / preventing them from eating.

CoffeeLeaf90

Are there any specific indigenous stories or lore about orcas?

Mimi

This is my question too! My algorithm keeps showing me videos of ”orca safaris” and I don’t know how to feel about it (are we just chasing them around/bothering them??)

Jennifer Grogan

Could you please ask the ologist to talk about the difference between the resident orcas in the Salish Sea / Puget Sound area vs. transient orcas and how resident pod populations are doing at the moment? Is there anything we (especially those local to the area) can do to help the resident pods recover???

Milo Cuesta

Can we please talk about what we know on how they treat death within their pods? Helping dying elders, keeping babies that have passed for days... They seem so much more emotionally complex compared to almost any other animal.

Empress of Smallwood

I've heard orcas are decimating narwhal populations since they season have warmed. Truth or flim flam?

Empress of Smallwood

How does orca intelligence compare to the intelligence of other whale species?

Mimi

Not to anthropomorphise, but I feel like we mostly hear about the ”big names” like Keiko or Tilikum - are there any other (lesser-known) orcas we should know more about?

Levine_thedream

Is there a rhyme or reason to their coloration? Does it have anything to do with being a predator?

Sydney S

They seem to respect humans? attacks appear to be in captivity or mistaken identity in the wild. The ones who sink yachts aren't interested in the people. Do we taste bad? Do they think we're cute? Will they accept human volunteers in the yacht war against billionaires

AlphabetSoup

What’s up with the fish hats? Fashion statement or bragging about their catch? Tangentially, does this behavior relate to the mourning practices of orcas with their young?

Felix Lasselle

I've heard they are very intelligent and have very advanced techniques for hunting, what are those techniques? And how are they communicating with one another, do they have calls similar to dolphins?

Felix Lasselle

Obligatory check-up: are they endangered at all and is climate change messing them up as much as everyone else?

Jimilow

I want to know all about their digestive systems.

Dave Brewer

I remember hearing that the dorsal fins of captive orcas tend to flop over but not those in the wild. Is this true, and if so what is the cause?

Mignonne Halpern

Is there any humane way an orca can be (or should be) kept in captivity? I get that an injured one might be there because it couldn’t survive in the wild but otherwise?

Ailish

What's the deal with long-finned pilot whales being able to chase off orcas? They don't seem like they would win in a fight. Are they just super annoying?

DrKay

Do they play jokes on people?

Carrigan Richards

I am curious about the incident where a pod of orcas hunted moose in Alaska… what!!!

The Marginalia

I met a Marine Biologist when I was in 5th grade who studied the GOLF BALL sized LICE THAT CLING TO THE MUSTACHE HAIRS OF WHALES!!! I've had 100s of questions ever since. Do orcas have mustache hairs? Do they have little crabby face lice? Do they hurt or itch?

Rick Gillespie

So many marine animals (fish, birds, and mammals) have dark backs, and light undersides. Is there a term for this convergent evolution?

Anna Batie Kuka

Are Biggs Transients and Puget Sound residents separate species? How did these groups evolve and separate?

Cole Heasley

Do they like music? If yes, what kind? If unknown, what music do you think they'd like?

Madeline Stanton

What is up with the big fake white eyeballs?

Yygalnnok

I've heard that orcas have different accents and dialects. I'm just wondering if this is by region or by pod.

Alicia Navarrete Alonso

I'd love to hear the Ologist's thoughts on Keiko and the podcast "The Good Whale"—in general, but also specifically, I seem to remember Keiko liked to watch TV when he lived in Mexico City. Is that true? PS. I love whales with a passion and am definitely sure I would cry if I ever saw one. Once a bank executive asked me to name my favorite animal to set up a security question; I said whale and she said I couldn't put down whale—I had to choose between like cat, dog, horse, and something or other. Yet another reason banking sucks. PPS. The Good Whale wrecked me.

Syd

My mom (and I) LOVE orcas! How have orcas made adaptations in their behavior to manage in an ocean where humans continually encroach and invade? How are we using technology to keep them safe and potentially use AI to decode their language?

Jessica

Ahhhh! I’m so excited. I was just thinking about asking if this could be a topic. Orcas are my favorite animals.

Rebecca Morrison

Everyone has amazing and thoughtful questions! I want to know if they replace their teeth…#aspsq

MK

I’m curious about orca population dynamics: how does an animal with a small(ish) global population manage to maintain genetic diversity across such large distances? Do the orcas intermingle with other pods? At certain times of year? Thanks!!

Lauren Cooper

Why do nature documentaries make them out to be such shitheads? Every time one comes on, the music gets all scary and they show them doing something diabolical to a baby seal

Lauren Cooper

Do they actually hate the rich? (me too, orcas)

Laura Glismann

Please speak a bit about the size of the brain to body size, the amount of cerebral cortex, etc. I think the ratios are bigger than that in humans. THANKS

Andy Pepper

I know orcas that prey on narwhals are moving into places the narwhals were safe before because of warming temperatures. Are there changing dynamics like that with other orca prey species?

Erin Dewberry

Please help. I watched Blackfish like 10 years ago and I still don't like SeaWorld. I want to have hope that things have changed. Please give me hope again

Andy Pepper

What’s with the white eye patch? And the black and white in general?

Andy Pepper

Are there reasons for the different shapes of dorsal fins?

Wandering Wyatt

I live in the Salish Sea - if ologist knows, would love to know more about differences between the resident and transient pods.

Anna Wolf

Do orcas experience emotions in regard to humans? like is the actions they take toward human boats purely instinctual, or do they experience emotions like anger towards the boats - for sound, pollution, et. Do they understand the “why,” I guess is the root of this question. or is it also, “if i do this, then this will stop?”

Julia Reichelt

What is up those two orca boys terrorising the great white sharks (!!!) of the Cape Town waters? Why would they choose to prey on something as hard to snack on as a great white shark? Why do they only eat the sharks' livers??!

Andy Pepper

Type D orcas! Different species or just a different phenotype? Why so different?

Nana From Canada

Hi Alie- I have two questions: Why are there Resident and Transient, (Biggs), Orcas in the Salish Sea, and why is so little known about Oceanic or Off-Shore Orcas?

Julia Reichelt

How old do they get in the wild Vs. captivity?

Kim Halford

A couple of interconnected Qs; my understanding (though perhaps not fully correct) is that pods have different dialects and cultures which would make it difficult for new orcas to join. So what happens at adolescence/puberty? Most mammal species have males (or females) venturing on their own to find new mates. Does this happen with orcas and, if so, is there any issues with trying to join a new pod? 2, do they return to the same place for breeding? May that become an issue with varying ocean temperatures and changes in where populations of prey may be? 3, menopause, is it true that it is thought to be that the matriarches can therefore lead the pod and spread their knowledge of previous good hunting grounds etc alongside helping caring for any young?

Notfunnybutfanni

How come they developed these elaborate hunting strategies and other dolphins haven‘t?

Julia Reichelt

Ohh I remember this from the film Free Willy! Why??

Cecilie Hoffman

I have heard that humans are not on the Orcas food menu. If that is true, do we know why not?

norab

theories on why they keep sinking boats??

Notfunnybutfanni

How do pods react whey they encounter another pod? Are they friendly? Excited? Do they feel threatened?

norab

how long can they live

norab

are they more social or solitary

Connor they them

How can we contract them to destroy more yachts?

Notfunnybutfanni

How deep can they go? sperm whales go to these crazy depths so I’m curious what their cousins are up to

Katie Hultman

I wanted to ask about this too! I have heard before that the mooses' only natural predator is the orca. (I don't know if it would be scarier to have a moose or an orca swimming in my direction.) This also makes me wonder if, and how, climate change has impacted orcas chosen prey in general.

Adam Schmidt

Are orcas able to pick up the calls of whales and other dolphins? Even if they can't understand the calls but can hear them, how do they respond (vocally or physically)?

Melissa Gwinn

What’s the deal with orcas attacking boats in the Straight of Gibraltar??

Katie Hultman

Yes, how can we support their mission and let them know we appreciate their work?

Addie Cappello she her

🥰🥹🥰🥹🥰🥹🥰 Oh my heart…. ♥️ this episode will make me cry I’m sure. I was raised on Free Willy (the movie) - I don’t know if the Ologist will cringe or croon about this… But it 💯 shaped my future as a welfare-minded biologist. Currently live in Western WA, and have yet to see an orca in real life- how are they so big and have such a presence, yet also so elusive?! What were the ologist’s thoughts or reactions to the orcas trying to sink ships? This was entirely badass in my opinion- but I’d love to know more about possible background to these events. My mom would like to know what is the least known fun fact about orcas? Is the “depressed” dorsal fin from being kept in captivity for too long fact or flim-flam? What’s the biggest factor causing such a decrease in successful birth rates? How can everyday people help orcas? Is it lifestyle choices or does financial support through donation provide the highest level of assistance? What happens to orcas that are used for movies? (Are we still even doing this?) My friend would like to know if you can please have the Ologist discuss how orcas are “complete murder beasts” Why do sharks get the award for most dangerous or frightening marine creature- when clearly orcas wear the crown? (In the best and most respectful way) What are the advantages/disadvantages of their coloration? I genuinely hope this episode doesn’t ruin any future rewatch of Free Willy, but I’d rather be educated than in the dark!!! Thank you so much!!!!! 🤓 Addie (she/her)

Notfunnybutfanni

Are toothed whales and baleen whales within the same genus? If so, what was their last common ancestor?

Katie Hultman

Are they related to skunks and pandas or perhaps part of the juggalo family?

James Thomas

Where are pods doing well and where are they in trouble? Orcas and dolphins are related. Do orcas prey on dolphins?

Katie Hultman

Reading this made my face itch. I hope we get answers.

Madison Aradine

Where do orcas stand on the evolutionary tree of dolphins or whales?

Ricky G!

Probably my favorite marine animal!! So excited for this. Why do we think they don’t attack humans outside of captivity? Why do they attack sharks? Why the big white spot near their eyes?

Katie Hultman

I'd love a deep dive about the senses they use to hunt. Can they see or hear differently than we can? Do they rely mostly on echolocation?

sarah woodbury

Tell us about their empathy centers !! Is it true they're larger than human ones ? Tell us all the empathy things !!

scout

what's the deal with the Southern and Northern resident pods? I've read they are "genetically distinct" from other orcas - does that make them a separate species, subspecies, or what? How did the they populations split off from other orcas and become their own thing?

Katie Hultman

And if it is true, do we know if there is a particular hormone or something that causes people to smell so bad to them?

Hope

Do orcas prey on other whales? Are they significantly more aggressive than sperm whales/orher toothed whales/why do orcas have such a bad reputation?

Steve Prosterman

I was on Vancouver Island in 2004 and went to see the Orcas on a very large inflatable. I was horrified to see how close we got to them and of the number of tourist boats surroundding the entire pod of 13-14 Orcas. I asked one of the crew what has happened to the reproduction rate since this tourist boom has been happening. He told the reproduction rate has drastically dropped. We are loving them to death. In the US the law say boats have to stay 300 ft (90M) from them. Do most other countries not have these laws?

Chuck Meriam

From my 8yo: How did their black and white coloring evolve instead of any other light/dark combo?

Euan Munro

How much area can they span? Do they ever move from one ocean to the other?

Addie Cappello she her

I refused a paid trip to sea world because no thank you. And a colleague keeps telling me about Blackfish and I refuse to watch it 😖😔

Urp

My question is about menopause. Certain Cetaceans, Elephants, Human femailes have long post reproductive lives and I think Orcas are the only Dolphins who do. What is the value of this to them as marine mammals (I know its not a choice)? Do they suffer from the same adverse effects as other mammals post menopause?

Aimee Knupsky

My best friend is a poet who has been recently writing about whales--so I asked her and these are the questions she had (although she said she could ask a million more!) How do they communicate about food, dangers, and connections with each other? What cultures center them in stories important? What parts of the ocean do they live in? Middle ocean, the twilight zone, the abyss, and to what extent has climate change affected where they gravitate in the ocean?

Jason

I’ve seen them in Alaskan and other Pacific Northwestern art, but since they’re a global species do other cultures feature them in their art? Really interested to hear this episode in general, orcas have been a favorite animal of mine and I’m curious why we seem to connect so much to stories about them!

FernieFernice

First time question asker here... I've long disallowed myself the watching of (most) nature docs, but broke my own rule back in 2007 to watch one about gray whales because I was planning a visit to one of their birthing lagoons. I ended up witnessing a pod of Orcas singling out, torturing, and killing a young migrating gray and it shattered me. Why do some Orcas do this? I want to repair that rupture as I am made up of the Puget Sound and now my niece is studying marine biology and is 💯 Team Orca.

CurtisDawg

I went on a Orca watching boat ride once. Saw a pod of Orcas "playing with their food" - tossing around a harbor seal.

Kurt Swanson

About the orcas attacking boats: do they hate humans invading their space? Or is it just an instinctual need to attack large "animals" in the water?

CurtisDawg

Orcas aren't whales, right? More like dolphins???

CurtisDawg

We, in the Pacific Northwest, hear about "J Pod" hanging out in Puget Sound. How about Pods A-I or K-??? How many Pods are there?

ValBeListening

Does every whale have a unique pattern on their skin? How do they tell each other apart?

CurtisDawg

Do we see a difference in migration patterns due to El Nino or La Nina? (Shout out to Dr. Shepherd!) Do they seem to be adapting to climate change? Might as well talk about micro-plastics too.

Georgia

WHY DONT THEY EAT HUMANS? Are they just biding their time? Waiting for our guard to get dropped, only for their inevitable attack?

joshua.yyz

Orcas can be found all over the world, often in discrete communities. Are there regional behaviour differences? Are there such things as distinct orca cultures?

Erin

Yesssss I need to know this too! And if it’s not ethical, are there places from land where we can reliably see whales?

FernieFernice

Confession-adjacent: My ex-spouse's grandfather was the fisherman who set the net in WA to catch the first captive Orcas. According to the lore, no one else was willing, but they all pointed to the one guy who would do anything for a paycheck. That man died miserable and angry (I was there).

CurtisDawg

What up with them attacking boats? That's pretty badass!

Erin

Big fan of their work! If we wanted to join forces with the orcas, what’s the best way to do that?

Miranda Panda

Woah! I learned once that humans are the only animals to live past menopause. You mean to tell me that was flim flam??

LizPea

Asking for a friend preparing an orca-song-based musical project: what do we know about menopause in orcas?

Kelly Shaver

How can one ethically whale watch?

Kelly Shaver

Is there anything that Orcas won’t hunt if it gets in the water?

ariel.vanzandt

Do scientists think the SRKWs could ever mate with transient killer whales?

ariel.vanzandt

Do you think media plays a role in how people think about killer whales? I think about how the leopard seal got a bad reputation after one of the penguin movies, but killer whales are just as vicious and are still beloved. What's up with that?

ariel.vanzandt

Scientists think grey whales are changing what they eat because of food scarcity. Is there potential for killer whales (specifically the SRKWs) to change their prey? Are baleen whales more likely to change what they eat than a toothed whale?

ariel.vanzandt

Can you explain all the different types of killer whale? How are scientists grouping/organizing them now?

Andrew

Asking for my girlfriend. Which countries (if any) have made it illegal to keep orcas in captivity, and what progress is being made to outlaw it in the U.S?

Lee Wang

I've heard the only other mammals that go through menopause are all toothed whales! The theory goes that it comes about from a combination of matriarchal groups with complex social bonds, because past a certain age, the dominant female isn't having offspring of its own that would compete for resources with the offspring of her daughters while also being able to teach, care for, and socialize young offspring.

Rachel Baer

What can we learn about grieving from orcas?

Rachel Baer

What is your favorite orca professional sports mascot? (Ex. Sammy the Sounder)

Lee Wang

Can you talk about how an animal with no thumbs can figure out how to immobilize sharks by flipping them over? (I think the two individuals who've figured this out are called Port and Starboard.)

ariel.vanzandt

How much variance is in the teeth of different types of kws? Mammal eaters vs fish eaters, etc

Darcy Price

Transient vs resident orcas.. how do their diets differ, and why?

PotatoesandSalmon

Would love to know more about the salmon hat fad that was briefly popular among some orcas

Darcy Price

Orcas and altruism.. are they helping the grandmas of the sea cross sidewalks or what’s up?

Taters Schmitty

I fell in love with J27 Blackberry when I was randomly given a card with his info at the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor. When I heard that he revived the trend of wearing a salmon as a hat, I was so excited that I may have peed myself. Can you talk about the salmon hat phenomenon - is it fun, is it fashion, is it both?!

Chandler Witherington

Can you talk about the Southern Residents near Seattle that largely rely on Chinook salmon for their diets that are becoming more scarce? If the salmon disappeared completely, could they conceivably still survive eating other species? Or would they move to a different area in search of food and become permanent residents in a new area? I guess this question could apply to any population of orcas that largely subsist on a particular species.

Chandler Witherington

I know there are only two places in the world where you are allowed to swim with orcas. Is this for ethical reasons or for safety reasons? And can you discuss the ethics of swimming with orcas?

Cortney

Can they talk about anthropomorphism re: "orcas wear fish as hats because they think it's fun"?

Evelynn Kolakowski

Is there a way to boost so it been resident populations so that they don’t go extinct?

McKenzie W

Is there record of orcas exhibiting behavior that humans would consider queer? Are some of these fish breaking their gender norms? Any adorable orca lesbians raising a calf? Etc...

Eliot Powell

I’m wondering about Orca evolution. What distinguishes them to have allowed them to reach apex status?

The Grandmother Hypothesis

Ommggg I have been waiting for this!!! My profile is literally named after them!!!! Say more abt the grandmother hypothesis, social groups, and menopause!!!!!

Kait

🥹🤩🥲 thanks for this one, DadWard🫍

Kait

I’ve heard about expressions of grief, dialects, culture… do orcas have a known method of storytelling, for lack of a less human phrase?

Matt M

1) Does Orcalab on Vancouver island hold special significance in the orca science community? I’ve always been inspired by that place (the history, the location, etc.) but was curious if it has a wide reach for you all. 2. Can you tell us about orcas’ memory capacity? 3) I’ve used Orca Orgy as my fantasy football and trivia name for 15 years. Please feel free to steal if it is of interest/use to you. Thanks!

Kait

Is it true that they’ve displayed social/cooperative behaviors when hunting alongside other species, including humans?

Casa Reed-Dean

How many orcas are there in the world ( not counting captivity) and do they stay with their pod their whole life, snd if they do, is there in-breeding or do we just not notice it because of their markings and their body shape?

Elta Sparks

No question, but as someone who loved free Willy as a kid I'm excited Actually what does the ologist think of that movie?

Staci Pinkowitz

YESSSSSSSSSSS MY ORCAS IN SOLIDARITY TEAR DOWN THE MACHINES!!

Leah

Are there lesbian orca whales?? When did we start tracking different pods? Do they really live in every ocean in the world? Why a matriarchal structure?

Casa Reed-Dean

Do they migrate? Where and why? And do they feel those same emotions when one of their baby’s die just like a blue whale? What about when they are drowning the whale or the whales baby do they feel sorry for them or are they just like “whatever they’ll be more”?

Bonnie M Rutherford

The whales in the Salish Sea near my house are now wearing salmon on their heads again like they did a few years back. So far it seems to be only the young males.

Casa Reed-Dean

If you were to hold a orca in captivity, (theoretically) and you had an infinite amount of space and stuff to occupy it how big would it have to be to keep it happy? Would it also have to be a minimum depth?

Bonnie M Rutherford

If you're talking about Penn Cove where they were captured in the 1960s, that's a myth. As I recall reading recently about some of our resident Orcas, they do go into the cove even for the pod that the whales were captured from go into The cove.

Marc Rubin

Are there any stories of orcas helping humans out of dangerous situations? I've heard of stories about dolphins, but never orcas.. Is it true that orcas prey on moose in the Arctic?

Bonnie M Rutherford

I know how amazing orcas are. One of our resident female orcas, Tahlequah, has been observed twice carrying deceased calves and swimming around in the Salish Sea. The local media called those two events for tours of grief. She was not the only one to do this. I don't recall the name of the other orca but last year she was seeing carrying her dead calf for a week.

Bonnie M Rutherford

I know that the pods around here are matriarchal and I'm wondering if that's true for orcas in the rest of the world? I'd also like to know if it's true that the grandmothers rule and that the offspring stay with the pod for life.

ValBeListening

What do they do for fun (other than wear dead fish on their heads)?

Caroline Teal

How many orcas are still held in captivity? Are there sanctuaries for rescued orcas?

Lisa Gorman

Where are the East Coast orcas? The Atlantic is included in the range for orcas, but I've never heard of them being seen off the Atlantic coast of the US. Why not? Or are they here and just in small numbers?

Nora Aegas

There are so few recorded incidents of wild orcas deliberately harming humans. They eat sea lions and other human-sized prey, and even take on larger whales and great whites. So why do they leave us alone?

Lisa Gorman

Why are different pods of orcas specialized in different foods? Is that true all over their range or just in the Pacific Northwest?

Lisa Gorman

Do we know how often orca pods are successful in their hunts and how that compares to other mammalian pack predators such as African wild dogs (who as far as I know are the most successful)?

Melanie Ang

Ooh what documentary backlash is there?