Killer whales seen ‘kissing’ for the first time in the wild, photo shows

For the first time, a pair of killer whales were seen “kissing” in the wild, photo and video evidence reveals.

The intimate encounter took place in October 2024, near the Kvænangen fjords of Norway, located above the Arctic Circle in the country’s far north.

A group of snorkelers witnessed the “rare and previously undocumented” encounter below their boat, according to a study published June 11 in the journal Oceans. One snorkeler captured video of it with a handheld GoPro camera.

The footage, available online, shows the two marine mammals touching mouths while floating motionless below the waves.

The amorous affair “lasted nearly two minutes and involved repeated episodes of gentle, face-to-face oral contact,” according to the study, published by researchers from Spain and the Netherlands.

At the time of the observation, onlookers said the orcas “appeared to be ‘kissing’ beneath the boat.”

While it’s the first time such behavior has been recorded in “free-ranging” or wild orcas, it has been documented in captivity on a few occasions.

For example, in 2013, a pair of killer whales in Loro Parque, a Spanish zoo, were seen engaging in tongue-to-tongue contact.

The behavior, dubbed “tongue-nibbling,” has also been observed in other species under the care of humans, including in beluga whales at a SeaWorld in Texas. In most instances, it takes place between younger individuals.

Researchers described the curious conduct as “a socially affiliative behavior” that is “likely involved in reinforcing social bonds, particularly among juveniles.”

The fact that it has been documented across time and geographical settings “suggests remarkable behavioural continuity,” they added.

This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Killer whales seen ‘kissing’ for the first time in the wild, photo shows."