But oddly enough, the killer whales don't eat the animals. Orcas are killing porpoises but not eating themFrom 1962 to 2020, researchers recorded and studied 78 episodes of Southern Resident Killer Whales harassing and, in many cases, killing multiple types of porpoises. They lead the majority of their lives in a group setting, in pods of up to 20 other killer whales, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The orcas' choice not to eat the porpoises was consistent with what Marino had seen in her years in the field. And sometimes they show them how to do it and then they don't actually eat the animal," she said.

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Persons: —, Eric Lowenbach, Lori Marino, Martin Ruegner, Marino, We've, orcas, Serge Melesean, Deborah Giles, Giles Organizations: Service, Southern, Mammal, British Columbia, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Newsweek Locations: Pacific, North Pacific, Washington , Oregon, British, Mayotte, France