Orcas, Killer Whales!!!

The killer whale or orca(Orcinus orca), less commonly, blackfish or seawolf, is the largest species of the dolphin family. It is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm, tropical seas. Killer whales are versatile and opportunistic predators. Some populations feed mostly on fish while other populations hunt marine mammals, including sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales. They are considered the apex predator of the marine world, having no known predators. There are up to five distinct killer whale types, some of which may be separate races, subspecies or even species. Killer whales are highly social; some populations are composed of matrilineal family groups, which are the most stable of any animal species. The sophisticated social behavior, hunting techniques, and vocal behavior of killer whales have been described as manifestations of culture
Although the killer whale population as a whole is not considered to be an endangered species, some local populations are considered threatened or endangered due to depletion of prey species and habitat loss, pollution by PCBs, captures for marine mammal parks, and conflicts with vessels. In late 2007, the killer whales known as the "southern resident killer whales," were placed on the Endangered Species list.
Wild killer whales are usually not considered a threat to humans. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive killer whales attacking and, in at least one instance, killing their handlers at marine theme parks. There is also a level of confusion surrounding the term "whale". While killer whales are members of the dolphin family, they, and all other members of the dolphin family, are members of the sub-order Odontoceti and the order Cetacea, meaning "toothed whale" and "whale", respectively.


Killer whales are distinctively marked with a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. Calves are born with a yellowish or orange tint, which fades to white. Killer whales have a heavy and stocky body and a large dorsal fin with a dark grey "saddle patch" at the fin's rear. Antarctic killer whales may have pale grey to nearly white backs. Males typically range from 6-8 m long (19-26 ft) and weigh in excess of 6 tonnes. Females are smaller, generally ranging from 5-7 m (16-23 ft) and weighing about 3 to 4 tons. The largest killer whale ever recorded was a male off the coast of Japan, measuring 9.8 m (32 ft) and weighing over 8 tonnes (17,636 lb). Calves at birth weigh about 180 kg (350-500 lb) and are about 2.4 m long (6-8 ft). The killer whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, often reaching speeds in excess of 56 km/h (35 mph). Unlike most dolphins, the pectoral fin of a killer whale is large and rounded—more of a paddle than other dolphin species. Males have significantly larger pectoral fins than females. At about 1.8 m (6 ft), the male's dorsal fin is more than twice the size of the female's and is more of a triangular shape—a tall, elongated isosceles triangle—whereas the dorsal fin of the female is shorter and generally more curved. Adult male killer whales are very distinctive and are unlikely to be confused with any other sea creature. When seen from a distance in temperate waters, adult females and juveniles can be confused with various other species, for example, the false killer whale or Risso's dolphin.


Killer whales are found in all oceans and most seas, including (unusually for cetaceans) the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas. However, they prefer cooler temperate and polar regions. Although sometimes spotted in deep water, coastal areas are generally preferred to pelagic environments. The killer whale is particularly highly concentrated in the northeast Pacific Basin, where Canada curves into Alaska as well as the Johnstone Strait area and Washington state. They are making a bigger presence in California too. There are also large populations off the coast of Iceland and off the coast of northern Norway. They are regularly sighted in Argentina and the Antarctic waters right up to the ice pack and are believed to venture under the pack and survive breathing in air pockets like the beluga does. In the Arctic, however, the species is rarely seen in winter, as it does not approach the ice pack. It does visit these waters during summer.



There are at least two types of general killer whale behavior: resident and transient. Each type also has different food sources.
The day-to-day behavior of killer whales is generally divided into four activities: foraging, traveling, resting and socializing. Killer whales are generally enthusiastic in their socializing, engaging in behaviors such as breaching, spyhopping, and tail-slapping.
Killer whales often spy-hop. This behavior is when the killer whale propels itself half-way out of the water. A killer whale may do this for one of two reasons.The first, and most common, reason is that they are looking for food. The other reason is a lot less common. They might spy-hop to see where they are, or more to see how close they are to shore.
Type-C and Type-B killer whales may engage in a certain behavior to get seals on a lone, small iceberg. This behavior is where they nose the ice berg back and forth until they slide the seal off the iceberg into one of the killer whale's mouths. Another eating behavior is where they gain speed in the water and aim themselves at the shore. On this shore there are many seals. The killer whale will almost beach itself, scaring the seals off the shore, and into the waiting mouths of the other members of its group.



The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast have featured the killer whale prominently in their culture through history, art, spirituality and religion.
In the tales and beliefs of the Siberian Yupik people, the wolf and the killer whale were thought to be identical: killer whales were said to appear as wolves in winter, and wolves as killer whales in summer. Killer whales were believed to help people in hunting on the sea: they were thought to assist the sea hunter in driving walrus. Thus, reverence was expressed in several forms: the boat represented the image of this animal, and a wooden representation of a killer whale also hung from the hunter's belt. Small sacrifices could also be given to killer whales: tobacco was strewn into the sea for them. It was believed that the killer whale was a help to the hunters even if it was in the guise of a wolf: this wolf was thought to force the reindeer to allow itself to be killed by the hunters.

A group of Orcas teach their kids how to deal with a sealion who has evaded them.