Overview

• Citizen scientists on a snorkeling trip in the Kvænangen fjords captured the behavior in October 2024 and researchers published the findings in Oceans (2025).
• The mouth-to-mouth interaction lasted 1 minute 49 seconds, with three gentle episodes lasting 10, 26 and 18 seconds.
• Tongue nibbling had until now only been sporadically observed in captive orcas, first noted in 1978 and recorded on video at Loro Parque in 2013.
• Authors say the wild sighting confirms tongue nibbling as a natural affiliative behavior likely used to strengthen social bonds, similar to beluga whales.
• The study highlights the importance of citizen science and advanced underwater monitoring for uncovering cryptic social dynamics in cetaceans.