The
killer whale or
orca (
Orcinus orca) is a
toothed whalebelonging to the
oceanic dolphinfamily, of which it is the largest member.
Killer whales are found in all oceans, from
Arctic and
Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Killer whales have a
diverse diet. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt
marine mammalssuch as seals and dolphins. Killer whales
are
apex predators, as there is no animal which preys on them.
Female killer whales begin to mature at around the age of
10. The lifespans of wild females average 50 years, with a maximum of 90
years.
An exception is Granny, also known as
J2, who is an orca,
or
killer whale, estimated by some whale researchers to be 105
years old, which, if correct, would make her the oldest known living orca. Granny
had been captured with the rest of her pod in 1967 but was too old at that time
for a
marine mammal park, so was released. In 1967, Granny was
estimated to have been born in 1911.
Males sexually mature at the age of 15, but do not
typically reproduce until age 21. Wild males live around 29 years on average,
with a maximum of about 60 years. One male, known as
Old Tom, was reportedly spotted every winter between the 1840s
and 1930 off
New South Wales, Australia.
Killer whales are highly
social; some populations are composed of
matrilineal family groups.
Wild killer whales are not considered a threat to humans.Killer
whales feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures, with their
reputation ranging from being the souls of humans to merciless killers.
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| Killer whale hunting a Weddell seal |
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A killer whale plays with a ball of ice, soon after a researcher
had thrown a snowball at the whale. |
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| A killer whale leaps out of the water when swimming—a behaviour known as porpoising |
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| Group of killer whale |
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| Killer whale attacking seal |
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| Killer whale attacking seal |
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| Killing of seal |
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| "Old Thom" off Cape Cod recognized by notch in dorsal fin. |
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| The orca Granny (J2) |
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