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Orca Whales

Orca Whales are thelargest of the dolphins.

Beluga Whale Classification:

Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Orcinus
Species: Orca

Other Names: Killer Whale, Orca, Blackfish, Grampus and Killer

Orca Whale in Foreign Languages:

Bulgarian:
Kosatka
Catalan: Orca
Czech: Kosatka
Danish: Spaekhugger
Dutch: Orka / Zwaardwalvis
Finnish: Miekkavalas
French: epaulard / Orque
Gaelic: Cana / Mada-chuain
German: Schwertwal / Moderwal / Killerwal
Hungarian: Kardszarnyu Delfin
Icelandic: Hahyrningur
Indonesian: Seguni
Inuit: Arluq
Italian: Orca
Japanese: Shachi / Sakamata
Korean: Beomgorae
Mandarin: Nijijing / Hujing
Neapolitan: Ncroja
Norwegian: Spekkhogger
Portuguese: Orca
Romanian: Orca
Russian: Kosatka
Slovakian: Kosatka
Spanish: Orca
Swedish: Spackhuggare
Turkish: Katil Balina

Description: Orca whales have a distinctive black and white patch coloration. An orca's head is rounded, and it does not have a distinct beak. There is a white spot above or behind the eye. Behind the orca's dorsal fin is a grey saddle patch. The orca whale's belly, lower jaw and the underside of the tail flukes are white, the remainder of the whale's body is black.

Size: Adult Orca whales weigh 2.6-9 tons and they measure from 18 - 32.25 feet in length. Male orca whales are larger than their female counterparts.

Habitat: Orca whales are found in all of the world's oceans. They are most frequently found in the cold waters of the Arctic, and the Antarctic. Orca whales are found in both the deep open ocean waters and the coastal waters.

Diet: Orca whales are carnivores they eat salmon, seals, sea lions, other whales, birds, and penguins. Orca whales eat approximately 3% - 4% of their body weight in food a day.

Communication: Like all cetaceans, orca whales depend heavily on underwater sound for orientation, feeding, and communication. Orca whales produce three distincitive types of sounds: clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls.

Did You Know?

Next to humans, orcas are the most widely distributed mammal.

Gestation: Orca whales carry their young for 17 months.

 


Orca Whale

Conservation Status: Insufficient Data











Birth: Newborn orca whales weigh 395 lbs and are 7 - 8.5 feet in length. The mortality rate of calves is extremely high, it is estimated that 37–50% of all calves die within the first seven months of their lives.

Sexual Maturity: Females orca whales are sexually mature between the ages of 6-10. Male orcas become sexually mature between the ages of 10-13. Female orca whales can bear a calf every five years.

Life Span: The average life span of an orca whale is 50 to 80 years.

Social Structure: Orca whales are social creatures, they are frequently found in family groups of up to 40 whales. The pods work together using cooperative hunting techniques. Observers have also noted that lll male and female pod members participate in the care of the young.

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