A Kiss from the Wild

New Scientific document online! “A Kiss from the Wild: Tongue Nibbling in Free‑Ranging Killer Whales (Orcinus orca)” unveils the first-ever documentation of tongue-nibbling—a gentle, affectionate behavior—between two wild orcas in Norway’s Kvænangen fjords.

Introducing an extraordinary discovery by Javier Almunia, Johnny van Vliet & Debbie Bouma, recently published in Oceans.

Captured in October 2024 by citizen scientists snorkeling beneath the whales, the nearly two‑minute sequence shows oral contact mirroring behaviors once thought unique to captive dolphins. This finding confirms that social bonding through tongue-nibbling is part of the natural behavioral repertoire of orcas—not just seen in managed care.

© Loro Parque

Key Highlights:

• Rare, affiliative underwater interaction among wild killer whales.
• Citizen science in action: snorkelers captured this behavior with a handheld GoPro.
• Reaffirms natural social behavior seen in both wild and captive populations.
• Emphasizes the importance of strict wildlife tourism protocols to safely integrate scientific observation

This paper showcases how scientific curiosity and conservation-minded tourism can uncover hidden facets of animal sociality. It beautifully aligns with EAAM’s mission of blending research and welfare for marine mammals.

Read the document↗

.