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Killer Whale

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  • A Mother Orca and her calf swimming underwater in Marineland, Ontario. Calves can spend up to six years at their mothers side, learning how to hunt some of the smallest and biggest animals in the sea.
  • A group of killer whales seen here, hunt in cooperative family groups (of up to 40 whales) called pods. For this reason they are also known as the wolves of the seas.
  • The Male orca seen here swimming is can eat up to 220 pounds (100kg) of a food a day, the equivalent of four seal pups or 400 herring.
  • The Killer whale, one of the world's deadliest creatures and the world's biggest dolphin, takes several years to learn to be lethal in a battle. The Orca here is breaching in San Juan Islands.
  • The Orca is hunting by using its head and tail to strike prey and knock them out. Seals are pursued for hours by the pod, taking it in turns to ram with their heads, or hammer with their tails. Out of the sea, seals are also fair game.
  • Killer whales can live for an average of 50 to 80 years. Seen here is a baby Orca.
  • Killer whales are extremely intelligent, well-organized highly social animals. Their family groups are considered one of the most stable social structures of any of the animal species.
  • Killer whales have anywhere from 40 to 56 interlocking teeth each one around three inches long. They're conical shaped and used for ripping and tearing, but not for chewing. Orcas eat their food in chunks or entirely whole.
  • They use their heads and tails to strike prey and knock them out.
  • The dorsal fin acts as a keel and probably helps stabilize a killer whale. The dorsal fins of male killer whales are the tallest of any cetacean in the world, growing up to 1.8 m (6 ft.).

  • Baby Orca

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    A Mother Orca and her calf swimming underwater in Marineland, Ontario. Calves can spend up to six years at their mother’s side, learning how to hunt some of the smallest and biggest animals in the sea.  

  • Pod Hunters

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    A group of killer whales seen here, hunt in cooperative family groups (of up to 40 whales) called pods. For this reason they are also known as the wolves of the seas.

  • Killer Appetite

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    The Male orca seen here swimming  is  can eat up to 220 pounds (100kg) of a food a day, the equivalent of four seal pups or 400 herring.

  • Largest of the Dolphins

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    The Killer whale, one of the world's deadliest creatures and the world's the largest of the dolphins, takes several years to learn to be lethal in a battle. The Orca here is breaching in San Juan Islands.

  • Hunting for Prey

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    The Orca is hunting by  using its head and tail to strike prey and knock them out. Seals are pursued for hours by the pod, taking it in turns to ram with their heads, or hammer with their tails. Out of the sea, seals are also fair game.  

  • Life Span

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    Killer whales can live for an average of 50 to 80 years. Seen here is a baby Orca.

  • Social Swimmers

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    Killer whales are extremely intelligent, well-organized highly social animals. Their family groups are considered one of the most stable social structures of any of the animal species.

  • Killer Teeth

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    Killer whales have anywhere from 40 to 56 interlocking teeth each one around three inches long. They're conical shaped and used for ripping and tearing, but not for chewing. Orcas eat their food in chunks or entirely whole.

  • Orca Breaching

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    They use their heads and tails to strike prey and knock them out.

  • Pretty Big Fins

    Photograph by iStockPhoto

    The dorsal fin acts as a keel and probably helps stabilize a killer whale. The dorsal fins of male killer whales are the tallest of any cetacean in the world, growing up to 1.8 m (6 ft.).

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Dawna Raven Sky Zimbalist
Dawna Raven Sky Zimbalist

I feel so lucky and blessed as I have spent the last several summer's in Alaska, Kenai Fjords Region... where I have worked for a Whale and Wildlife watch company. With my Marine Naturalist background, it has gifted me with the knowledge of these amazing beings. I spent four years in the San Juan islands surrounded by the three endangered pods of Southern Resident Orcas as well as Transients. This summer we had a most magical day at the end of June on a trip... shortly after departure from Seward Harbor, we encountered one of several resident pods that call this area home, soon after that we had a small group of transients, although much more stealthy and boat shy, it is still an amazing sightings. At the onset of entering Aialik Bay we had another pod of residents which was amazing... Now to top it off at the end of the day heading back into Resurrection Bay, we were literally surrounded by Whales... Capn.. D on duty that day, who does Orca ID work.. announced that these were offshores... the third ecotype of Orcas. Literally they were everywhere... I cannot begin to explain the excitement and magic of this.All three types of Orcas n one day.. later Capitano went out and collected Shark Livers which were rising to the surface. The belief is that Offshore Orcas feed on Sharks and here they were feeding on Sleeper Sharks. One of the most incredible days ever.