Orca Facts for Kids

Orcas are black and white. They are the biggest dolphins. They live in family groups called pods.

Orcas travel in pods, and a pod can stay together for life. A white patch sits behind each eye, and the tall fin on its back is different on every orca, so scientists can tell them apart from photos. Pods talk with clicks, whistles and calls that are special to each family.

Orcas are toothed whales, and the largest members of the dolphin family. Different groups of orcas eat different foods: some pods mostly eat fish like salmon, while others hunt seals, and each pod teaches its young its own way of finding food. Female orcas live long after they stop having calves, and these grandmothers help lead their pods. Some groups, such as the orcas of the Pacific Northwest, are endangered because there are fewer salmon and more boat noise in their waters, so people work to protect rivers and salmon.