orcas are also the animal closest to humans in their ability to form and recognize distinct cultures and communities in themselves, and maaaaybe a sense of self/others within that. they've got big brains for their bodies.
it's, different than other animals doing this. they've managed to make peace with some humpbacks and hunt together. they talk to each other, the roaving packs bringing, presumably, news to the relatively static ones because they've seen migrations after a wandering pack comes by sometimes.
the ways it could go worry me for the whales