The orca, not pictured, was recorded saying ‘hello’ and ‘bye bye’ (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

A seemingly cute video of an orca ‘talking’ to a human has gone viral – but it may not be as adorable as everyone thinks it is.

Wikie, a female captive orca kept at Marineland of Antibes in the French Riviera, was taught to mimic simple human sounds like ‘bye bye’ and ‘hello’.

Researchers, led by Complutense University of Madrid, said that humans may one day be able to conduct basic conversations with the marine mammals.

But experts have warned that these findings aren’t new and that the studies could – and should – have been conducted on wild orcas, rather than those in captivity.


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ORCA, an orca conservation group based in the UK, said: ‘Sadly, research such as this being conducted in captivity is another example of unnecessary imprisonment of cetaceans across the world.



‘Research from recent years completed in the wild has shown similar findings as this study, without a need for keeping an animal in an enclosure completely unsuitable for a large animal.’

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They claim that orcas have been found to replicate sounds made by other pods and other species of dolphin on a number of occasions.

‘As well as reinforcing the sophistication and intelligence of these animals, such research also shows how much we can learn about these species in the wild, which raises the question of why it is necessary to study the animals in captivity,’ ORCA added.

‘We hope that in the very near future we will see an end to this type of cruelty so that all cetaceans can live freely in the wild.’

Marineland undated handout of Wikie, who has been taught to speak human words through her blowhole (Picture: PA)

Jemma Prittie, who runs Wild Dolphin Retreats, told Metro.co.uk that she ‘100% agrees’ with ORCA about the video.

‘I 100% agree,’ she said. ‘I’ve been swimming with wild dolphins and whales for the last 20 years. You can completely get everything we want to to know about these animals in their own environment, in the wild – and then they’re not stressed.

‘Who are we to put such an incredible species like the orca in a prison? It’s disgusting, and it’s cruel.’