Some people call orcas killer whales. But an orca is the largest kind of dolphin.
An orca is black on top. Its underside is white. It has a white patch near each eye. It can grow to about 32 feet.
Orcas live in every ocean in the world.
Orcas live in family groups called pods. The orcas in a pod call to each other. They use whistles and calls. Each pod has its own sounds.
A pod hunts as a team. Orcas eat fish, squid and seals.
An orca has about 40 to 56 teeth. They lock when its mouth is closed. Its teeth grow to about 4 inches.
Orcas make clicking sounds. Then they listen for the echoes. The echoes help them find things in the water. An orca can swim about 35 miles an hour.
A mother orca has one calf at a time. A baby orca drinks its mother's milk. It grows up inside its pod.
Words to know
- pod: an orca family
- calf: a baby orca
- echoes: bounced sounds
