Part 6/9:
After extensive investigations, scientists began to frame the orca attacks less as acts of aggression and more as playful behavior, akin to a fad sweeping through the pod. Such social learning is well-documented among orcas; they are known to mimic behaviors observed in their peers, which can include unusual activities such as “prop watching” — where orcas swim close behind boats for the thrill of the waves created by propellers.