Orca - The Killer Whale

  •   Sun, Jan 01 2012
  •   M Kennedy

January 2, 2012

Killer whales distinctively bear a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. Killer whales have a heavy and robust body with a large dorsal fin up to 2 meters (6.6 ft) tall.

Killer whales are the largest extant members of the dolphin family. Males typically range from 6 to 8 meters (20–26 ft) long and weigh in excess of 6 tones (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons). Females are smaller, generally ranging from 5 to 7 meters (16–23 ft) and weighing about 3 to 4 tones (3.0 to 3.9 long tons; 3.3 to 4.4 short tons).   The largest male killer whale on record was 9.8 meters (32 ft), weighing over 10 tones (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons), while the largest female was 8.5 meters (28 ft), weighing 7.5 tons (7.4 long tons; 8.3 short tons).

The killer whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, able to reach speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h).Killer whale pectoral fins are large and rounded, resembling paddles. Males have significantly larger pectoral fins than females. At about 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) the male's dorsal fin is more than twice the size of the female's and is more of a triangular shape—a tall, elongated isosceles triangle—whereas hers is shorter and more curved.

Killer whales have good eyesight above and below the water, excellent hearing, and a good sense of touch. They have exceptionally sophisticated echo location abilities, detecting the location and characteristics of prey and other objects in their environment by emitting clicks and listening for echoes.


Population

Worldwide population estimates are uncertain, but recent consensus suggests an absolute minimum of 50,000 Local estimates include roughly 25,000 in the Antarctic, 8,500 in the tropical Pacific, 2,250–2,700 off the cooler northeast Pacific and 500–1,500 off Norway. Japan's Fisheries Agency estimated there were 2,321 killer whales in the seas around Japan.


Behaviour

Killer whales often raise their bodies out of the water in a behaviour called spyhopping.

Day-to-day killer whale behavior generally consists of foraging, traveling, resting and socializing. Killer whales are frequently active at the surface, engaging in acrobatic behaviors such as breaching, spyhopping, and tail-slapping. These activities may have a variety of purposes, such as courtship, communication, dislodging parasites, or play. Spyhopping, a behavior in which a whale holds its head above water, helps the animal view its surroundings.

The killer whale's intelligence, trainability, striking appearance, playfulness in captivity and sheer size has made it a popular exhibit at aquariums and aquatic theme parks. From 1976 to 1997, 55 whales were taken from the wild in Iceland, 19 from Japan, and three from Argentina. These figures exclude animals that died during capture. Live captures fell dramatically in the 1990s, and by 1999, about 40% of the 48 animals on display in the world were captive–born.

Captives occasionally act aggressively towards themselves, their tank mates, or humans, which critics say is a result of stress.

Tilikum, a captive killer whale born in the wild, has been involved in three fatalities including one in which he grabbed a trainer and pulled her underwater, eventually drowning her. Experts are divided as to whether the injuries and deaths caused by captive killer whales have been accidents or deliberate attempts to cause harm.

 

Information compiled from various sources



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M Kennedy
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Comment on this article

  • Das Gajula, Mumbai

    Mon, Jan 09 2012

    Great photos and an excellent info on Orcas. Amazing how they react to the trainers and how they jump. One should know how they feel.

  • AJ, Scotland

    Wed, Jan 04 2012

    it always makes me angry and sad to see these beautiful animals doing stupid circus tricks for our amusement. If these places wanted the best for the animals, they would not be there at all.
    :(

  • cynthia dcunha, mangalore-abu dhabi

    Tue, Jan 03 2012

    nice pictures. I did visit alongwith my family to Disney land Florida and witnssed this wonderful show at sealand. I do have wonderful videos and pictures of these killer whales

  • Saritha, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 03 2012

    beautiful pictures. well done

  • naomi, Mangalore/Dubai

    Mon, Jan 02 2012

    awesome whales r the best these things.:)

  • Howard Garrett, Washington State USA

    Mon, Jan 02 2012

    Thank you for publicizing background information about orcas. The stresses that captive orcas endure lead to many illnesses and unpredictable aggressive behavior, and early death, as shown in "Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Captivity."
    It makes sense when you consider that orcas are exquisitely adapted for traveling over a hundred miles every 24 hours as members of large, complex societies and extended families, practicing precision teamwork to forage and hunt for highly specialized prey according to cultural traditions. Some animals are simply not suited for captivity, and orcas are certainly one of those.

  • JV, USA

    Mon, Jan 02 2012

    Nice photos and good info. Too bad the photos glamorize orca confinement. The death of the trainer at SW Feb 2010 was not a drowning, nor was the one two months prior to that at Loro Parque (Dec 2009). They were both brutal killings (have you read the medical examiners reports?). Orcas have never harmed humans in nature... yet 4 times they've killed at theme parks. It's not hard to figure out why. These animals should not be used for exhibits. A report "Keto & Tilikum Express the Stress of Captivity" is a respected internet resource. Thank you.


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