Are Killer Whales Dangerous? Do They Eat People?

Jun 10

In 2017 the death of Tilikum was reported. This sad passing was marred by a controversial history for the animal. Tilikum was involved in the deaths of three individuals. The tragic death of Dawn Brancheau - a SeaWorld trainer in Florida - was particularly well documented, being covered extensively by the media. Tilikum isn’t the only orca to have killed a person. In 2009, just a few months before the death of Brancheau, Alexis Martinez - a marine trainer - was killed by a killer whale in an attack at Spanish zoo Loro Parque.

Both incidents happened very close together, and brought about a very concerning notion: that killer whales were dangerous animals. But how close to the truth is this idea?

Are Killer Whales Dangerous?

Killer whales are apex predators. They are considered to be the most powerful killers in the ocean, capable of taking down massive prey like whales - hence their name - and even great white sharks. In fact, their hunting strategies are widely attributed to causing the extinction of the largest shark to have ever lived, the megalodon. It is believed killer whales eliminated this vicious predator to protect their young and food supplies. Given what we know about orca, it would be dangerous not to consider them dangerous. They are perhaps the most efficient killers in the animal kingdom.

But does that mean they are dangerous to us?

Do Killer Whales Eat People?

There are only four recorded killer whale fatalities, all occurring in theme parks. These are unnatural habitats in which the animals are exposed to great deals of stress and mental decay. Their mindset is compromised and there have been many more recorded incidents of animals lashing out and being aggressive without deaths.

But these behaviours are unique to marine park animals.

(If you’re interested in learning more, read our article on killer whales in captivity.)

Wild killer whales have never killed a person. There have been encounters resulting in injuries, but these are not only exceptionally rare, but most likely the case of mistaken identity. Over the past 100 years, there have been a total of seven noteworthy incidents. On a few occasions, orca used hunting strategies to either upturn boats or at least attempt to, in techniques used on ice flows to get to seal prey. Nobody was hurt after their boats were attacked. The most notable attack in the wild is when a man was bitten while surfing; likely a case of mistaken identity similar to accidental shark attacks. Finally, a man was once dragged under water for 40 seconds by a killer whale. The animal wasn’t trying to drown the man, but instead steal crayfish he’d speared and put in a satchel tied to his arm. While attempting to steal the bag, the killer whale pulled the man down with it.

Those are the only reports we have. In a world where killer whales inhabit the waters of every country with coastlines, from the UK to New Zealand, these are the only incidents ever documented.

Wild killer whales do not attack people. To swim with killer whales is not considered a dangerous activity. While these are powerful and dangerous animals, they appear to pose no threat to people. Unlike massive animals such as elephants that kill dozens of people each year - an animal many still dream of encountering close up at wildlife sanctuaries - killer whales remain a very safe bet when it comes to wild encounters.

Of course, we must be aware that these are powerful predators, and that just because there has never been an attack, that doesn’t mean a rogue killer whale could not decide to change the rules. They aren’t programmed in their DNA not to harm us. As with any animal encounter, you meet with a killer whale at your own risk.

However, the evidence shows us that there is no reason to fear these animals in the water.

Why Don’t Killer Whales Attack People?

This is a really good question. If killer whales are so dangerous, why don’t they attack or eat people? For example, while shark attacks are exceptionally rare - five fatal attacks per year - they are most definitely recorded. Why are there no recorded wild attacks of people amongst killer whales considering they are more dangerous predators?

Why has no orca slipped up?

There is a romantic notion surrounding the orca, tied with legends and myths, which suggests it is simply part of their culture. Throughout history, there have been many examples of humans and killer whales forming relationships and bonds, from helping each other hunt to simply meeting each other out at sea. It’s appealing to believe, unlike other animals, that we have some kind of ancestral and spiritual connection to killer whales. And, as crazy as it may sound there may be something in this. Orca are highly intelligent animals, capable of a diverse range of thought processes. Killer whales can recognise themselves in a mirror, have been known to hold ceremonies similar to funerals for their dead, exhibit complex communication signals, and have even been observed attempting to mimic human language. Despite their appearance as typical members of the animal kingdom, their intellect elevates them far above most other creatures. It is entirely possible they’ve built an understanding of humanity, and have chosen to make of us an ally rather than a foe.

There are, of course, more scientific answers to the question. Orcas have been around for 11 million years or so, in which time they’ve devised for themselves very specific diets. Indeed, killer whales eating habits are unlike any other animal. Different families will eat different foods. A killer whale from one subspecies will not eat the same as another, despite the fact that it could form a staple part of their diet. For example, a seal-eating orca won’t eat fish, and a fish-eating orca won’t eat a seal. There is a famous scene in Frozen Planet of penguins flocking to escape their most deadly predator, only for it all to be for nothing as their pursuers were fishing-eating killer whales and not interested in penguins.

This fascinating behaviour might explain why orca don’t attack humans. There are generally four reasons animals attack people on purpose:

They’re aggravated - It’s hard to aggravate a massive, fast-moving animal like an orca.
You’ve entered their territory - Orca are not territorial by nature, they travel large distances, share their homes with other pods, and distribute their food chain amongst different families to ensure supply doesn’t run low. Killer whales have no reason to defend their space.
They are fearful of you - Killer whales are powerful apex hunters, they have no natural predator and don’t have a reason to fear people.
They want to eat you - Since you are not part of their very specific diet, killer whales have no reason to attack you. Just as a fish-eating orca won’t attack a seal that swims by, they won’t attack you either. Humans aren’t on the menu.

It appears most likely that evolution has simply carved out a very unique path for killer whales that means they are not dangerous to humans simply through behavioural patterns. It is entirely possible their intelligence and culture has a part to play as well, but this is purely speculation, as we cannot communicate with the animals to ask them.

Why Do Captive Orca Attack People?

If behavioural patterns mean that killer whales don’t attack people in the wild, then why are they attacking people at theme parks? Of the four points above, it’s important to pay attention to the first:

They’re aggravated.

While it certainly is hard to aggravate a wild killer whale (they can just swim away) it’s much harder for them to escape you when they’re locked in a small tank and forced to do tricks in exchange for food.

We also have to acknowledge that this isn’t natural behaviour. In the case of Tilikum, the most prolific human-killer by far, the documentary film Blackfish highlights how the conditions Tilikum grew up in likely scarred him mentally, leading to a breakdown in his natural cognition. Given how intelligent we know these animals to be, it’s reasonable to assume they can be broken just as a person can. The more complex the brain, the more susceptible it is to ill-health.

When a human sustains trauma, it can have a seriously detrimental mental impact. There is no exact path this journey takes them on, as there isn’t for killer whales. Many killer whales experienced the hardships that Tilikum did, but in this particular individual, the result was severe aggression that led to the tragic loss of more than one person.

These people were killed by a killer whale, there is no denying that. But, they were not killed by a killer whale exhibiting natural behaviours learned from a typical and healthy environment. They were behaviours acquired through hardships the animals should have never faced.

The Dangers of Killer Whales: Key Takeaways.

While it does make sense that Tilikum and other killer whales have behaved aggressively towards people, their tormented upbringings within captivity also explain why wild killer whales (who are not exposed to such psychological traumas) never have.

The fact of the matter remains, however, that due to the human deaths we know of, combined with the advanced hunting strategies of orca in the wild, we know that killer whales are technically very dangerous animals.

While the records, history and behaviours of killer whales show us that, left to their own devices in their natural habitat, we have absolutely nothing to fear from them, we cannot pretend these are not dangerous predators. Their intelligence, size and killer instincts all form the foundations of a highly dangerous creature.

Killer whales do not attack people under natural circumstances, but for the sake of answering the question, are killer whales dangerous, we must not confuse threat with danger.

Want to learn more about orca? Read our killer whales fact guide.