People call orcas killer whales. But the orca is the largest member of the dolphin family. It is mostly black on top, with a white belly. It has a white patch near each eye. Behind its back fin, each orca has a gray or white saddle patch. The markings are different on every whale.
Orcas live in every ocean in the world. They live in cold seas near the poles. They also live in warm tropical seas. Orcas live in pods. A pod is a few to 20 or more whales that are related to each other. Each pod has its own whistles and calls.
Orcas hunt together as a team. Some orcas herd a school of fish into a tight ball. Then the fish are easier to catch. Orcas that hunt herring in Norway herd the fish and then slap their tails to stun the fish. Few animals hunt orcas, so they are called apex predators.
Orcas in different places eat different foods. Young orcas learn how to hunt from older ones. Some orcas near Antarctica work together to make waves. The waves wash seals off ice floes. Orcas move to where the food is. They do not follow a fixed seasonal route.
Orcas eat fish, squid, seabirds and sea mammals such as seals. Orcas make clicking sounds. Then they listen for the echoes to find things in the water. An orca can swim about 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour).
A mother orca has one calf at a time. She is pregnant for 15 to 18 months. A newborn has orange-tinted white parts that fade as it grows. It drinks its mother's milk. Female orcas live about 50 years in the wild, and some live to at least 90. Male orcas live about 30 years on average, and some reach at least 60.
Words to know
- pod: an orca family
- calf: a baby orca
- herd: gather together
- echoes: bounced sounds
- apex: at the top
The short version
The orca is the largest member of the dolphin family, mostly black on top with a white belly. Orcas live in every ocean in pods of related whales, hunt together as a team, and use clicks and echoes to find things in the water.
Quick facts
- An orca is the largest member of the dolphin family.
- Orcas live in every ocean in the world, in pods of a few to 20 or more related whales.
- Orcas hunt together, and some herd fish into a tight ball.
- Orcas make clicking sounds and listen for the echoes to find things in the water.
- Female orcas live about 50 years in the wild, and some live to at least 90.
Is an orca a whale or a dolphin?
Orcas are called killer whales, but an orca is the largest member of the dolphin family.
How do orcas hunt?
Orcas hunt together as a team. Some herd a school of fish into a tight ball so the fish are easier to catch, and in Norway orcas that hunt herring also slap their tails to stun the fish.
