ArticleAnimal cognition2026
When orcas hit the rudder: what Iberian orca-boat interactions reveal about action explanations in animal cognition.
Article in Animal cognition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Since 2020, Iberian orcas have repeatedly interacted with sailing vessels, often targeting rudders. These well-documented interactions have been discussed primarily as play, exploration, maladaptation, or a product of cultural transmission. Here, I argue for a complementary interpretation. This phenomenon also exposes a broader explanatory issue in animal cognition: complex animal behavior in the wild is often described without an explicit theory of action. Drawing on cognitive action-effect approaches, I suggest that rudder-directed interactions may also be understood as actions organized around anticipated environmental consequences. The orca case thus highlights the need for action models that can travel across species, ecological contexts, and disciplinary boundaries.
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