First account of apparent alloparental care of a long-finned pilot whale calf (Globicephala melas) by a female killer whale (Orcinus orca)

Abstract

Interactions between killer whales ( Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)) and long-finned pilot whales ( Globicephala melas (Traill, 1809)) have been documented on numerous occasions, usually involving predation events and pursuits. Here, the first documented account of a long-finned pilot whale calf seen in echelon position with one killer whale in a group of three killer whales is described, along with one further interaction of the same killer whale group with other long-finned pilot whales. Behavioral, locational, and photographic data were recorded and analyzed for killer whales between 2011 and 2022 and for long-finned pilot whales between 2019 and 2022 off West Iceland. The data were used to obtain background information on the killer whale group involved in the apparent alloparental behavior. The described event also presents the first documented account of epimeletic behavior of a killer whale toward a non-conspecific. The movements of the same killer whale group in conjunction with other killer whales during a subsequent interaction with a group of long-finned pilot whales do not fit any previously observed behavioral patterns described for interactions between these species and may represent an active effort to obtain another long-finned pilot whale calf. Long-finned pilot whale and killer whale interactions might be more complex than previously thought and influenced by multiple drivers.