Orcas, commonly called killer whales, are known to be ferocious apex predators — but scientists were left scratching their heads after one orca whale was recorded seemingly caring for a long-finned pilot whale calf.
Researchers spotted the abnormal pair off the western coast of Iceland in August 2021. In a recently released paper in the Canadian Journal of Zoology, scientists said the emaciated pilot whale calf was observed alongside an adult female orca whale, called SN0540, or Sædís.
For 21 minutes, the scientific team observed the pair travelling together with two other adult orcas, a male called Zale and a female named Dragonfly.
Read more: Born 4 months early, these Canadian preemie twins set Guinness World Record There were no other pilot whales nearby.