Aren’t they killer? Orcas, commonly referred to as killer whales (Orcinus orca), are carnivorous mammals that are the largest of the dolphin family. They can weigh up to six tons and grow to the size of a school bus, sometimes living to be 80 years old in the wild (1). Like many other dolphins, orcas hunt in pods and each pod has its own set of communicative sounds.

Fun Fact: Orcas may be known as killer whales but they aren’t actually whales. Wild right?

Physically, orca coloration is black and white and they look like very bulky mammals but they’re far from slow. Orcas can swim at speeds of around 33mph and have proven to be crafty hunters (2). Killer whales eat a variety of different sea life including seals which tend to perch on floes (sheets of ice). Orcas will swim around the floes creating waves that wash over the ice and cause the seal to slide towards the water and into the mouth of a waiting orca.

• Killer whales are divided into ecotypes, which are distinct forms of a species, depending on what they eat (3).
  • Resident: eat fish and squid
  • Transient: eat mammals
  • Offshore: eat sharks

For More on Killer Whale Hunting Strategies, Click Here!

Orcas tend to prefer colder waters, staying around the poles, but can be found as far down as the equator. Killer whales can also be found in captivity, the main attractions to shows at places like SeaWorld. They’re forced to live and perform in small tanks and are often separated from their family. While orcas in the wild live for over half a century, orcas in captivity live for barely over a decade and many experience serious psychological pain (4). Although a lot of the performing animals at aquariums and shows are being released into the wild, there are many that remain in captivity and those that are freed can’t necessarily survive in the wild because of the conditions they’ve grown up in. Keeping animals, not just marine ones, in captivity has been a problem for years but conservation groups have only recently started to gain traction.

Orca Conservation

I grew up in an eco-friendly household, watching Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. Protecting the environment and helping conservation efforts has always been a big part of my life. I’d like to use this blog as a chance to teach people about different animals that live in captivity, are hunted, or are used for illegal means. They’re all really amazing creatures that deserve to be free and many are going extinct because of the way humanity has dealt with them. I hope that I’ll be able to show people how great these animals are because every effort to help them makes a difference.

Adopt a dolphin/whale or donate to the cause

Citations:

1. “Orca.” National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/o/orca/.
2. “Orca (Killer Whale).” Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, http://us.whales.org/species-guide/orca-killer-whale.
3. “How Orcas Work Together to Whip Up a Meal.” National Geographic, http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/orca-feeding/morell-text.
4. “The Fate of Captive Orcas.” Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, http://us.whales.org/wdc-in-action/fate-of-captive-orcas.