A new report shows the finding of researchers attempting to teach killer whales mimic human sounds, and yes, even speak. You have to hear it to believe it. Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that orcas, also known as killer whales, can mimic human words, including "Amy," "Bye-Bye" and "One-Two-Three." Wikie, a 14-year-old female killer whale housed at Marineland Aquarium in Antibes, France, was tested by researchers including José Z. Abramson to get her to speak. Wikie had previously participated in an action imitation study, so she already knew the "copy" command, giving her a leg (or a fin) up when it came to "speaking."

A killer whale can say things like "hello," "bye-bye" and "one two three" after a team of scientists taught her to imitate human speech sounds. The orca's human-like vocalizations represent a breakthrough, as it is the first time such capacity for imitation has been shown in the species. Additionally, copying sounds from peers is considered a rare phenomenon in general, with birds being another animal that has been noted for the skill. "Vocal imitation is a hallmark of human spoken language, which, along with other advanced cognitive skills, has fueled the evolution of human culture," the scientists said in their study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. "Although the ability to copy sounds from conspecifics is widespread in birds, it is strikingly rare in mammals, and among primates it is uniquely human."