Killer Whale

The killer whale or the Orcinus orca also known as the Orca is the largest species of the oceanic dolphins. They are black and white colored species, with the male of about 22 ft long and the female, 19 ft long weighing about 10,000 to 12,000 pounds. Known to travel millions of miles at a stretch, this beautiful predator of the sea is found in oceans all over the world. They have traveled from the frigid oceans of the Arctic and the Antarctic to the tropical seas and are also known to survive on a diverse diet. It is said that, with evolution, these mammals have formed five distinct types of 'Killer Whales', which are spread across the globe. These distinctions are based on physical appearances, geographical ranges and preferred types of prey. Killer Whales belong to the dolphin family and thus, have all the traits which are common to this species. They are very social, lovable and playful animals, who can't live solitary lives. Some more such interesting killer whale information is mentioned in the coming up paragraphs, so, keep reading and find out what's your favorite fact about these fun loving animals.

Killer Whale Facts

After humans, killer whales are the most widely distributed mammals all over the world. Let's find out what are the important facts about killer whales regarding their habits, habitats and diet.

Habitat

• Killer Whales are mammals found in deep waters and they belong to the dolphin family.
• They are found either in the open ocean, or in coastal waters, which they visit for hunting.
• Along with living in cold waters of the Arctic and Antarctic oceans, they are also seen in warm waters of Hawaii, Australia, Bahamas and the Gulf of Mexico.
• Killer Whales also visit freshwater rivers like the Thames, the Rhine, etc. to eat fish, which swim to these rivers for breeding.

Habits

• Killer Whales are the largest dolphins and belong to the order Delphinidae.
• Many might think that they are very dangerous to humans and thus, they are called "killer". But, like dolphins, these mammals are very social and friendly with humans. They eat and hunt other water animals and hence, are called killer whales.
• Like every other mammal, the females nurse their babies with milk and take care of them till they are old enough to hunt for themselves.
• They cannot breath under water like fish and thus, they come to the surface for oxygen in almost every 20 minutes.
• They are excellent swimmers and can travel up to 30 mph to reach deep waters. They live and hunt in groups or pods, which include 6 to 40 individuals and cannot survive alone.
• The gestation of a female killer whale is 16 to 17 months and she usually gives birth to a single calf.
• Their communication involves various sounds like clicks, whistles and sometimes even screams. They use these sounds either while hunting or mating. Each pod has a unique sound for identification of members.
• They live as long as 60 years and some females also go up to 90 years of age. These were some killer whale facts about their habits.

Diet

• Ever wondered about what do killer whales eat? They eat up to 5% of their body weight each day, which averages out to over 500 pounds for each killer whale.
• They predominantly eat fish like Salmon, Lingcod, Greenling, Halibut, and other small flatfish.
• Only a few pods of killer whales attack seals and porpoises.
• Transient killer whales feed exclusively on marine mammals or seabirds, in contrast to the resident killer whales. Therefore, seals, porpoises and sea lions are the favorites of transient killer whales.
• Sometimes, these mammals also attack other whales but they hunt them in pods. While hunting, they have an angular attack strategy which is fatal for the prey.

The killer whale is surely a beautiful creation of nature and also is one of the marine animals that we have to conserve. Hence, make sure you learn more about these endangered killer whales existence and work for their conservation on our planet.