Killer Whale
Orcinus orca
(oar-SEEN-us OAR-kah)

Statistics

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Orcinus orca
MEANING: "A kind of whale"
RANGE: All oceans
LENGTH: (Male) 9.5 meters (29 feet);  (Female) 7 meters (21 feet)
WEIGHT: (Male) 8 tons;  (Female) 4 tons
DIET: Seals, sea lions, penguins, other whales and dolphins, fish.

Description

The killer whale, or orca, is simply a large species of dolphin. It exhibits many of the features we associate with the Delphinidae (the dolphin family), though on a larger scale. The orca is larger than any other member of the family. It is also one of the more strikingly patterned dolphins. Other species display black and white color schemes, but none do so tot he extent of this species. The distinctive white eye patch, the broad, oar-like flippers, and the long dorsal fin are very unique from other members of this family.

This dolphin's habits are even more awe-inspiring than its imposing appearance. While most members of this family are content to subsist on fish or squid, the killer whale seems to prefer warm-blooded prey. Often consuming fish as large as salmon, tuna, or even large sharks, orca is unique among the dolphins in that a large portion of its diet consists of mammals and birds. It will often dislodge seals and penguins from ice floes in polar regions. It will actively pursue other cetaceans - porpoises, other dolphins and even the great baleen whales. This is due to the individual animal's size and formidable equipment, as well as its habit of living and hunting cooperatively in close-knit units called pods, which may consist of as many as thirty or so animals.

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