Off the west coast of Iceland, scientists spotted a killer whale named Sedis swimming with a calf alongside. At the same time, the researchers were sure that she had no cubs.
It was assumed that Sidis stole the chicken because he never had any of his own. At the same time, scientists do not exclude the possibility that the baby was simply left without a mother, and Sedis “adopted” him.
The lead author of the study, Marie Maruschak, observed Sedes’ behavior and learned that the female was caring for a small pilot whale. However, the chicken looked exhausted. Probably because the killer whale couldn’t feed him.
Scientists also note that killer whales and pilot whales in the wild have similar family structures. This may partly explain their relatedness.
