Killer Whales

  In orca populations, knowledge is passed to younger individuals from their elders: what to eat and were to find it, how to catch it, who to avoid, vocalizations and calls unique to pods and family groups, and the distinct ‘accent’ of the population. Having multiple prey to choose probably led to the specializations we see today – millions of year ago, different groups started eating different things to avoid competing for the same food. Now these groups are genetically different, in addition to their unique appearance and cultures.

  Orcas sleep in a very different way to humans. We have a breathing reflex and when we sleep, we continue to breathe automatically. Orcas cannot sleep in this way, they have to keep conscious, even when they are sleeping. This is because their breathing is not automatic, they have to decide when to breathe, and they must be conscious even when sleeping. If orcas went into a deep unconscious sleep, they would stop breathing and suffocate. Orcas only allow one half of their brains to sleep at a time; the other half stays alert enabling them to continue breathing while they are looking out for dangers in the environment. They only close one eye when they sleep; the left eye will be closed when the right half of the brain sleeps, and vice versa. This type of sleep is known as unihemispheric sleep as only one brain hemisphere sleeps at a time. Orcas periodically alternate which side is sleeping so in this way they can get the rest they need. When sleeping, orcas swim very slowly, close to

Looking at all populations, orcas are generalist eaters, consuming fish, seals and sea lions, dolphins and porpoises, sharks and rays, large whales and more. However, some orcas specialize on specific prey, and they earn customs easily. Once they’ve learned what their family eats, they don’t change their diet.

Dolphins and whales are closely relat ed. Orcas received the name "killer whale" by ancient sailors' observations of groups of orcas that hunted and fed on larger species of whales. In the beginning, they were called as "whale killer", a term that was eventually changed to the easier "killer whale." Their Latin name, Orcinus orca, also reflects this observation of killer whales feeding on large whales. Orcinus translates to ‘of the kingdom of the dead,’ and orca refers to a kind of whale. We know that orcas are top predators, but not the vicious ‘whale killers’ that  the ancient mariners thought of them.  

Orcas are incredibly popular because they have peculiar features. They are very familiar with their black and white coloring but  actually, depending on where they live, have very different appearances, behavior, ways of communicating and diet! Find out some amazing facts below abou t the incredible orca s.