By Courtney Cooper
Interesting Facts about Killer Whales
The Killer Whale is a fearsome creature that always dominates all oceans. Made famous by the 1993 movie, Free Willy, this animal has no business in a tank. More recently, they’ve been making a splash in the news for the past couple of years due to killing Great White Sharks. In this blog, we’ll be exploring 10 interesting facts about Killer Whales. For another interesting read, visit our shark facts rundown. Apex Shark Expeditions provides the best shark cage diving in Gansbaai.
10 Surprising Facts About Killer Whales
1. They can hunt on land
Using the momentum from the waves, Killer Whales are able to beach themselves to hunt Seals and Sea Lion pups. First, they swim sideways in order to hide their large dorsal fins, then they stun their prey by beaching. Once they have their prey, they manoeuvre back into the sea using the movement of the waves.
2. They have large brains
After the sperm whale, Killer Whales have the largest marine mammal brain. The size of your brain relative to your body size is an indicator of intelligence levels. The Killers Whale brain can weigh up to a whopping 15 pounds. A human brain weighs around 3 pounds.
3. Each tooth measures 4 inches long
Killer Whales have large teeth on both their upper and lower jaw that are conical and interlock. They typically measure around 3 inches in length and can reach 4 inches long in adults. Unlike sharks who go through 30,000 teeth in a lifetime, once a Killer Whale loses a tooth, they are not able to replace it.
4. They go through menopause
Only 3 animals can experience menopause, humans, the Pilot Whale and the Killer Whale. Female Killer Whales can reach up to 90 years old and start menopause around the same time as humans, at 40 years old.
5. They’re not actually whales
Despite their name, Killer Whales belong to the Delphinidae family, which includes pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. It is believed they received their name from sailors who witnessed them killing other whales.
6. Their scientific name is Orcinus orca
The word Orcinus is Latin and carries the meaning “kingdom of the dead”. This name too refers to this massive creature’s notorious reputation for devouring an array of sea animals.
7. Orcas have their own language
Orcas have their own dialect and communicate with each other by using 3 noises, clicks, whistles and pulsing calls. Each pod is known to have their own dialects. In fact, scientists analyzed Icelandic and Norwegian killer whale pods and found that the Icelandic population made 24 different calls and the Norwegian whales made 23 different calls. Surprisingly, the two populations did not share any of the same calls.
8. They Are the Second-Most Widespread Animal in the World
The Orca has been seen in all oceans of the world ranging from the Arctic to the Antarctic. They can be found in freezing waters and warm waters along the equator. The first widespread animal in the world is the human.
9. Killer Whales Use Echolocation
Killer Whales using a hunting technique called echolocation which is the use of sound waves and echoes to locate objects or prey. The Orca clicks and then receives and interprets the resulting echo.
10. These animals have no animal predators
Killers Whales are apex predators have thus had no natural predators. They still face many threats, mostly due to human activities that include overfishing, oil spills, becoming entangled in fishing gear and pollution from waste such as plastic.
We hope you enjoyed learning about the Orca’s and their fascinating way of life. The Orca plays a vital role in the ecosystem. Preventing oil spills, reducing plastic usage, and regulating our fishing activities can all help to ensure the conservation of the Orca. We also discuss how sharks breathe underwater.
