
Never-before-seen moment two frisky killer whales are filmed KISSING in incredible footage – and they even use tongue
The killer smooch was caught on camera by scientists during a snorkelling trip in northern Norway.
4
The heart-warming interaction between the two orcas - also known as killer whales - took place in the dramatic Kvænangen fjords, about 68 miles northeast of Tromsø.
In the nearly two-minute-long video, the orcas are seen engaging in three separate 'kissing' episodes, lasting 10, 26 and 18 seconds each.
During these intimate moments, one orca extends its tongue while the other appears to gently mouth or nibble it.
After the final 'kiss', the highly intelligent mammals part ways and swim off in opposite directions.
In the paper published in the journal Oceans, researchers describe the two adult orcas as engaging in 'repeated episodes of gentle, face-to-face oral contact'.
The snorkellers floated quietly and horizontally in the water - careful not to disturb the orcas - and filmed the interaction on a GoPro.
Scientists call this tactile interaction 'tongue-nibbling'.
Study author Dr Javier Almunia told Live Science that "tongue-nibbling is exceptionally rare", explaining that, until now, this behaviour had only been seen in orcas in human care.
While tongue-nibbling has not been recorded in other species, similar mouth-to-mouth contact has been spotted in belugas, according to Dr Almunia.
He added: "This behaviour appears to serve affiliative purposes and may play a role in reinforcing social bonds or resolving conflicts, akin to grooming or reconciliation behaviours in other highly social species."
Watch rare vid of 'glowing' albino killer whale as elusive real-life Moby Dick breaches waves leaving orca fan 'shaking'
Mouth-to-mouth contact in orcas was previously recorded in 2013 at Loro Parque, a zoo on Tenerife.
During that observation, 'one individual protruded its tongue while the other made gentle nibbling movements,' the study authors, Dr Almunia and colleagues, explain.
The zoo-keepers reported that tongue-nibbling behaviour had been noted in four individual orcas at the park.
Mouth-to-mouth contact was first documented in captive orcas in a 1978 study by Paul Spong and Ingrid Visser, who suggested it plays a role in maintaining social cohesion.
It comes as two pals on a fishing trip spotted what appeared to be a pod of killer whales in the Channel.
David Hilton, 64, and Paul Bradshaw, 61, were angling off the South Coast when they saw several large creatures breaching the surface.
They appeared to be hunting dolphins in busy international shipping lanes, just five miles south of Plymouth, Devon.
Orcas are found in oceans all over the world, but they are most commonly seen in the Pacific Northwest (US and Canada), Norway, Iceland and the Antarctic water.
But sightings in the Channel are rare.
The Channel is not a typical habitat for orcas as it is shallow and heavily trafficked.
4
Why do orcas "kiss"?
ORCAS are highly intelligent mammals, known for their advanced communication skills and their complex social structures
Killer whales are known to 'kiss' by gently touching or nuzzling each other with their mouths.
Scientists say this behaviour is a way for orcas to show affection, build trust and communicate - much like humans hugging or holding hands.
Researchers studying orcas both in the wild and in captivity believe this behaviour helps them relieve stress, resolve conflicts and strengthen long-term social bonds.
When orcas 'kiss' or nuzzle, it's usually an affectionate, social gesture rather than a romantic one.
Mothers and calves are often seen engaging in this behaviour, along with other members of a pod - their tight-knit family groups.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
Remains of animals dating back 10,000 years found in Arctic cave: ‘A rare snapshot of a vanished world'
The remains of animals dating back more than 10,000 years have been found in a cave in northern Norway providing the oldest example of an animal community living in the European Arctic region. Forty-six types of mammals were found, as well as fish and birds. The discovery, which includes polar bear, walrus, bowhead whale and Atlantic puffin, provides 'a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world', according to scientists. Also found were the remains of collared lemmings which are now extinct in Europe and had not been found in Scandinavia before. The team say the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), will help show how wildlife has responded to dramatic climate shifts in the past as the animal community dates to a warmer period of the ice age. DNA testing carried out for the research found that the lineages of the animals did not survive when colder conditions returned. Sam Walker, of Bournemouth University, said: 'These discoveries provide a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world. 'They also underscore how vulnerable cold-adapted species can be under changing climate conditions, which can help us to understand their resilience and extinction risk in the present.' The remains were found in the Arne Qvamgrotta cave which was first discovered in the 1990s when a local mining industry built a tunnel through the nearby mountain. But it was large excavations carried out in 2021 and 2022 which led to the discovery of the animals which also included common eider, rock ptarmigan and Atlantic cod. Professor Sanne Boessenkool, of the University of Oslo, said: 'We have very little evidence of what Arctic life was like in this period because of the lack of preserved remains over 10,000 years old. 'The cave has now revealed a diverse mix of animals in a coastal ecosystem representing both the marine and the terrestrial environment.' The researchers state that the variety of animals including migratory reindeer suggest the habitat would have been mostly ice-free at the time and the presence of freshwater fish meant there would have been lakes and rivers within tundra. There would also have been sea ice for the bowhead whales and walruses, although this would have been seasonal as the harbour porpoises found are known to avoid ice, the scientists say. The study suggests that although the animals had managed to colonise the region after the glaciers melted, their whole populations had died out as they had been unable to migrate when the ice returned. Dr Walker said: 'This highlights how cold-adapted species struggle to adapt to major climatic events. 'This has a direct link to the challenges they are facing in the Arctic today as the climate warms at a rapid pace. 'The habitats these animals in the region live in today are much more fractured than 75,000 years ago, so it is even harder for animal populations to move and adapt.' Prof Boessenkool added: 'It is also important to note that this was a shift to a colder, not a period of warming that we are facing today. 'And these are cold-adapted species, so if they struggled to cope with colder periods in the past, it will be even harder for these species to adapt to a warming climate.'


The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Cave discovery reveals oldest community of animals living in European Arctic
The remains of 46 types of mammals, fish and birds, dating back more than 10,000 years have been found in a cave in northern Norway providing the oldest example of an animal community living in the European Arctic region. The discovery, which includes polar bear, walrus, bowhead whale and Atlantic puffin, provides 'a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world', according to scientists. Also found were the remains of collared lemmings which are now extinct in Europe and had not been found in Scandinavia before. The team say the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), will help show how wildlife has responded to dramatic climate shifts in the past as the animal community dates to a warmer period of the ice age. DNA testing carried out for the research found that the lineages of the animals did not survive when colder conditions returned. Sam Walker, of Bournemouth University, said: 'These discoveries provide a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world. 'They also underscore how vulnerable cold-adapted species can be under changing climate conditions, which can help us to understand their resilience and extinction risk in the present.' The remains were found in the Arne Qvamgrotta cave which was first discovered in the 1990s when a local mining industry built a tunnel through the nearby mountain. But it was large excavations carried out in 2021 and 2022 which led to the discovery of the animals which also included common eider, rock ptarmigan and Atlantic cod. Professor Sanne Boessenkool, of the University of Oslo, said: 'We have very little evidence of what Arctic life was like in this period because of the lack of preserved remains over 10,000 years old. 'The cave has now revealed a diverse mix of animals in a coastal ecosystem representing both the marine and the terrestrial environment.' The researchers state that the variety of animals including migratory reindeer suggest the habitat would have been mostly ice-free at the time and the presence of freshwater fish meant there would have been lakes and rivers within tundra. There would also have been sea ice for the bowhead whales and walruses, although this would have been seasonal as the harbour porpoises found are known to avoid ice, the scientists say. The study suggests that although the animals had managed to colonise the region after the glaciers melted, their whole populations had died out as they had been unable to migrate when the ice returned. Dr Walker said: 'This highlights how cold-adapted species struggle to adapt to major climatic events. 'This has a direct link to the challenges they are facing in the Arctic today as the climate warms at a rapid pace. 'The habitats these animals in the region live in today are much more fractured than 75,000 years ago, so it is even harder for animal populations to move and adapt.' Prof Boessenkool added: 'It is also important to note that this was a shift to a colder, not a period of warming that we are facing today. 'And these are cold-adapted species, so if they struggled to cope with colder periods in the past, it will be even harder for these species to adapt to a warming climate.'


The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Animals dating back 10,000 years found in Arctic cave: ‘A rare snapshot of a vanished world'
The remains of animals dating back more than 10,000 years have been found in a cave in northern Norway providing the oldest example of an animal community living in the European Arctic region. Forty-six types of mammals were found, as well as fish and birds. The discovery, which includes polar bear, walrus, bowhead whale and Atlantic puffin, provides 'a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world', according to scientists. Also found were the remains of collared lemmings which are now extinct in Europe and had not been found in Scandinavia before. The team say the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), will help show how wildlife has responded to dramatic climate shifts in the past as the animal community dates to a warmer period of the ice age. DNA testing carried out for the research found that the lineages of the animals did not survive when colder conditions returned. Sam Walker, of Bournemouth University, said: 'These discoveries provide a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world. 'They also underscore how vulnerable cold-adapted species can be under changing climate conditions, which can help us to understand their resilience and extinction risk in the present.' The remains were found in the Arne Qvamgrotta cave which was first discovered in the 1990s when a local mining industry built a tunnel through the nearby mountain. But it was large excavations carried out in 2021 and 2022 which led to the discovery of the animals which also included common eider, rock ptarmigan and Atlantic cod. Professor Sanne Boessenkool, of the University of Oslo, said: 'We have very little evidence of what Arctic life was like in this period because of the lack of preserved remains over 10,000 years old. 'The cave has now revealed a diverse mix of animals in a coastal ecosystem representing both the marine and the terrestrial environment.' The researchers state that the variety of animals including migratory reindeer suggest the habitat would have been mostly ice-free at the time and the presence of freshwater fish meant there would have been lakes and rivers within tundra. There would also have been sea ice for the bowhead whales and walruses, although this would have been seasonal as the harbour porpoises found are known to avoid ice, the scientists say. The study suggests that although the animals had managed to colonise the region after the glaciers melted, their whole populations had died out as they had been unable to migrate when the ice returned. Dr Walker said: 'This highlights how cold-adapted species struggle to adapt to major climatic events. 'This has a direct link to the challenges they are facing in the Arctic today as the climate warms at a rapid pace. 'The habitats these animals in the region live in today are much more fractured than 75,000 years ago, so it is even harder for animal populations to move and adapt.' Prof Boessenkool added: 'It is also important to note that this was a shift to a colder, not a period of warming that we are facing today. 'And these are cold-adapted species, so if they struggled to cope with colder periods in the past, it will be even harder for these species to adapt to a warming climate.'