Orcas are one of the ocean’s top predators and can conquer the greatest aquatic beasts known to man. While orcas are also called killer whales, their behavior in the wild does not reflect a murderous creature. Rather, orcas are beautiful, calm creatures that rarely show aggression and violence toward humans. Discover why people refer to orcas as killer whales and learn about their hunting and feeding methods.
What are Orcas?
Orcas, also known as killer whales, are marine mammals that swim throughout Earth’s oceans. Although referred to as killer whales, orcas are a type of dolphin, too. One impressive fact about the orca is that it is the largest species belonging to the dolphin family on Earth and one of the strongest and most fearsome. Orcas are carnivores, meaning they only eat the meat and flesh of other animals.
In addition, orcas may live between 50 and 80 years in the wild but can experience a significantly shorter lifespan while in captivity. In fact, many amusement parks across the country keep orcas in captivity today. Captivity is one of the major threats that harm orcas and cause them to become violent toward humans.
While their namesake causes many people to believe that orcas are solely whales, orcas actually belong to the dolphin family, too.
Orca Appearance
Orcas may measure between 23 and 32 feet in length, as they are massive animals! In addition, orcas may weigh up to six tons, which translates to around 12,000 pounds. Most people recognize orcas from their unique coloration, which appears distinctly black and white. One special feature of the orca is its sharp and powerful teeth, which may exceed four inches in length but usually measure around three inches long.
Why are Orcas Called Killer Whales?
The original term for the orca was “ballena asesina,” meaning “whale killer.” While orcas are considered dolphins, they are related to whales, too. However, the name “killer whale” does not describe orcas’ classification but their behavior. During ancient times, sailors watched orcas and their feeding behaviors. These sailors noticed how orcas would attack and kill whale species much larger than themselves. Thus, sailors gave them the name “whale killer,” which eventually transformed into “killer whale.”
In addition, the scientific name of the orca is Orcinus orca. Orcinus is Latin for “of the kingdom of the dead.” Meanwhile, orca means a type of whale. Thus, the scientific name of these beasts mimics their predatory behavior, too. These “whales” are fierce apex predators with many types of prey, and their hunting behavior often results in death.
“Ballena asesina” is Spanish for “killer whale.”
Orca Hunting and Feeding
Orcas are ferocious predators, able to take down the largest of creatures, such as the fearsome great white shark. In fact, orcas do not have any natural predators, making them apex predators. When hunting for food, orcas use echolocation to detect prey. Orcas may make noises, such as clicks, underwater, and these noises bounce off objects and travel back to the orcas as echoes. Through this process, orcas can determine where prey resides based on how the echoes travel back to them.
In addition, orcas travel together when hunting. A group of orcas is called a pod, and a pod is typically comprised of no more than 40 members. Furthermore, two main types of pods exist called transient pods and resident pods. Transient pods are usually smaller than resident pods, and members feed on marine mammals. On the other hand, resident pods tend to be bigger than transient pods, and members of resident pods prefer to eat fish.
Orcas may attack prey in various ways. A pod or members of a pod may encircle prey, trapping a school of fish, for example. Then, orcas will strike their prey with their tails, which stuns the prey. While prey is stunned, the orcas can go in for the kill. In addition, orcas that hunt marine mammals, such as seals, will plan a way to knock their prey off fragments of ice. For example, if an orca strikes a seal on floating ice, the seal will fall into the water and become confused and stunned. This action leaves the seal defenseless against the killer whale.
The orca’s status as an apex predator combined with its many types of prey is what makes this creature so formidable. While the term “killer whale” may have arisen in antiquity, the name rings true today. Orcas can overpower massive, threatening creatures that no other animal would dare challenge. Overall, orcas have some serious predatory instincts, making them one of the most powerful animals in the deep blue sea.
Transient pods primarily feed on marine mammals while resident pods mainly eat fish.
What do Orcas Eat?
An orca’s diet depends on the members of their pod and the types of pods in which they reside. For instance, transient pods typically feed on marine mammals. Examples of prey of transient pods might include seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales, and more. On the other hand, resident pods are likely to feed on smaller animals, such as fish. Some examples of prey that comprise the diet of resident pods include sharks, stingrays, birds, octopuses, fish, and some other animals.
Do Orcas Kill Humans?
Despite being called killer whales, orcas have not killed a human in the wild. In fact, orcas seem to get along well with humans, even when they have had the opportunity to attack them. In captivity, though, orcas can grow violent, and orca attacks on humans in captivity have occurred.
For instance, an orca killed a SeaWorld trainer named Dawn Brancheau in 2010. One killer whale held in captivity by SeaWorld was named Tilikum, and this orca pulled Brancheau underwater. Tilikum shook the trainer around violently, resulting in several injuries and Brancheau’s death.
Following the trainer’s passing, SeaWorld did not allow trainers to swim alongside orcas in their facilities. In addition, a conservationist movement arose after the incident in which many people argued that orcas should be released from captivity. Now, SeaWorld has promised to stop breeding orcas, and the park no longer houses new orcas. Rather, SeaWorld works to rehabilitate the orcas they already own. SeaWorld may likely have no orcas left in captivity in the coming years.
Parks like SeaWorld once trained killer whales to perform in shows for live audiences.
Where do Orcas Live?
Orcas have a patchy distribution throughout the world’s many oceans. While killer whales swim in all oceans on Earth, certain areas claim a greater orca population than others. For instance, orcas prefer cold waters, so their largest populations reside near places like Alaska and Antarctica. However, they may also reside in subtropical or tropical waters near locations like Mexico or western Africa. In the United States, killer whales are most abundant along the West Coast, close to states like Washington, California, or Oregon.
Most orcas are found in cold waters near Arctic regions across the globe.
