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The orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. It is the only extant species in the genus Orcinus and is recognizable its black-and-white patterned body.
- What Are Orcas?
- Hunting and Diet
- Reproduction
- Orcas in Captivity
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Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They're immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring. Smart and social, orcas make a wide variety of communicative sounds, and each pod has distinctive noises that its members will recognize even at a distance. They use...
Though they often frequent cold, coastal waters, orcas can be found from the polar regions to the Equator. They're at the top of the food chain and have very diverse diets, feasting on fish, penguins, and marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches long. They are known to grab seals right off th...
Orcas are protective of their young, and other adolescent females often assist the mother in caring for them. (Learn more about how grandmother orcas care for their children's offspring.) Mothers give birth every three to ten years, after a 17-month pregnancy. They give birth to one baby at a time, which may nurse for up to two years. In most cases...
Orcas are highly intelligent, social mammals that have long been a part of marine park entertainment, performing shows for audiences. However, it's become increasingly clear that orcas do not thrive in captivity. They have evolved to swim up to 40 miles a day, foraging for food and exercising. They dive 100 to 500 feet, several times a day, every d...
Learn about orcas, also known as killer whales, the largest and most powerful dolphins. Find out how they communicate, hunt, reproduce, and why they don't thrive in captivity.
5 days ago · Killer whale, largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). The killer whale is easy to identify by its size and its striking coloration: jet black on top and pure white below with a white patch behind each eye, another extending up each flank, and a variable ‘saddle patch’ just behind the dorsal fin.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Nov 3, 2023 · Orcas. Orcas are a kind of dolphin, even though their nicknames are killer whales.
Knocked into the sea, the seal becomes a meal for one of the ocean's top predators—the huge orca, or killer whale. Orcas hunt everything from fish to walruses, seals, sea lions, penguins,...
Discover more about orcas aka killer whales, How big orcas are and what an orca eats along with the issues and threats they are facing and how you can help.
Known by some as “wolves of the sea,” orcas hunt in packs, using their numbers to herd prey into a small or isolated area before attacking. Specific populations, like those found in Puget Sound, can develop specialized diets of fatty fish such as salmon or herring. An adult orca consumes an average of 500 pounds of food a day.
