The Marine Mammal Identification Archive (AIMM) documented contacts between orcas and vessels that occurred prior to the widely reported accounts from 2020. The study compiles seven episodes recorded between 2018 and 2025, revealing that the phenomenon began earlier than previously thought.
Of the 26 orcas identified in these episodes, eight touched the boats directly. The researchers found that the majority of the animals involved were juveniles, raising questions about the behavior and learning of these cetaceans.
The analyzed content shows a pattern of interactions that predates the media attention the phenomenon would later gain. These initial observations likely did not receive the same news coverage as the more recent encounters.
The AIMM study serves as a reference source for understanding the evolution of these contacts over time, contributing to a more complete perspective on the phenomenon involving orcas in the region.
