| common name |
killer whale
|
| scientific name |
Orcinus orca
|
| body size |
adult female up to 7m; weighs up to 7,500
kg; dorsal fin up to 1m
adult male up to 9m; weighs up to 10,000 kg; dorsal fin
up to 2m
newborn calf up to 2.5m; weighs up to 200 kg
|
| average life expectancy |
females: 50 years (can live up to 80
or 90 yrs)
males: 30 years (can live up to 50 or 60 yrs)
|
vocal
behaviour
|
Killer
whales produce three types of vocalizations:
echolocation
clicks are used for orientation and to find prey
whistles
appear to function in short-range communication
pulsed
calls are highly stereotyped and likely function in
long range communication. Repertoires of pulsed calls
differ between social groups and populations.
|
| physical
characteristics |
Orcas are distinctively coloured. The dorsal surface
is mostly black except for a grey saddle behind the dorsal
fin. The underside of the body and underside of flukes
are white and there is a white eyespot behind each eye.
|
|
travel speeds
|
one of the fastest animals in the sea
record holder is a male timed at 55.5 km/h (34.5 mph).
short bursts: 45 km/h
typical traveling speed: 6-8 km/h
|
| characteristics
of three types of killer whales: |
residents |
transients |
offshores |
| diet |
Fish, especially salmon with a focus on chinook and chum |
Seals, sea lions, porpoises, and small whales |
Not certain: scientists believe they feed on schooling fish
and possibly sharks |
| dorsal fin |
Rounded tip usually with sharper angle at the rear corner
|
Fin tip is generally pointed |
rounded over tip, usually lacks the sharper
angle at the rear corner
|
| saddle patch |
Open saddle patch often seen
|
Saddle patch large and uniformly grey
|
Saddle patch either solid grey or open |
| social structure |
Live in a matriarchal society: male and female offspring remain
with their mother as long as she is alive |
Social structure of transients is much looser
than the resident form |
Unknown but
usually encountered in large groups |
| sounds |
Very vocal.
Whales that share stereotyped calls are grouped together as
clans
|
Are stealth hunters that echolocate rarely, presumably
use passive listening to find their prey. Tend to vocalize during
or directly following a kill |
Distinct calls from transients
and residents. Frequently vocal, use lots of echolocation |
| typical dive times |
3 – 5 minutes |
7 - 10 minutes |
Unknown |
| distribution |
All along the western coast of North America from Southeast
Alaska to California. Maybe Aleutian islands |
All along the western coast of North America from Southeast
Alaska to California. Maybe Aleutian islands |
Far from coastline, encountered near Queen Charlottes, West
Coast of Vancouver Island, seen as far south as Los Angeles |
| conservation status |
Northern Resident - Threatened (COSEWIC)
Southern Resident - Endangered (COSEWIC,
US Endangered Species Act)
|
West Coast Transient - Threatened (COSEWIC);
AT1 Transient - Depleted (US Marine Mammal Protection Act)
|
Population of special concern
(COSEWIC) |
