Orcas (Killer Whales)

Orcas don’t chew their food — they swallow it whole or tear it into pieces they can swallow!

Resident Orcas (those that stay in one area) mainly eat fish, while transient Orcas (those that travel) hunt marine mammals!

Some Orcas create nets of bubbles to trap fish before eating them!

Orcas can store extra food in a special second stomach, like a lunch box they carry with them!

Orcas need to eat about 3-4% of their body weight each day — for a large male, that’s about 700 pounds (318 kilograms) of food!

Some Orcas have learned to take fish off fishing lines without getting caught — a behavior they teach to their young!

Some Orcas specialize in eating stingrays and have learned how to flip them over to make them harmless!

🌎 Conservation & Population

There are about 50,000 Orcas living in the wild today — that’s fewer than the number of people who can fit in many sports stadiums!

The oldest known wild Orca was a female named Granny, who lived to be over 100 years old!

🌟 Fun and Unique Facts

Orcas make different sounds for different activities — clicks for echolocation, whistles for close communication, and calls for long-distance messages!

Female Orcas can live to be over 90 years old in the wild — that’s older than most humans!

An Orca’s brain weighs around 15 pounds (7 kg) — about four times heavier than a human brain!

Orcas can recognize themselves in mirrors, showing they have self-awareness like humans, elephants, and chimpanzees!

Orcas living near Norway have learned to herd herring into tight balls near the surface, then stun them with tail slaps!

Baby Orcas learn their pod’s dialect (special set of calls) by practicing for several years!

An Orca’s echolocation is so precise they can find a fish the size of a golf ball from 500 feet (152 meters) away!

Some Orcas have been observed sharing food with injured or elderly pod members!

Orcas are one of the few animals known to go through menopause, just like humans!

Each Orca pod can have up to 50 members, all related to each other!

Orcas can communicate with each other from up to 10 miles (16 kilometers) away in open water!

An Orca’s breathing hole (called a blowhole) is actually its nose moved to the top of its head!

The largest Orca pod ever recorded had over 200 members!

Orcas are warm-blooded mammals, just like humans, and maintain a body temperature of about 97.5°F (36.4°C)!

Baby Orcas grow about half an inch every day during their first year of life!

An Orca’s heart can weigh up to 53 pounds (24 kg) — that’s as heavy as a medium-sized dog, like a Dalmatian!

Orcas can swim upside down and even sleep while swimming!

The smallest type of Orca is only about 20 feet (6 meters) long — still longer than a pickup truck!

Some Orcas specialize in eating only one type of fish their whole lives!

Orcas can swim nearly 100 miles (161 km) in a single day when traveling!

An Orca’s tail is strong enough to lift their entire body out of the water when they breach!

Orcas have excellent hearing and can detect sounds underwater from many miles away!

Some Orcas have learned to chase sharks away by flipping them upside down!

Female Orcas usually have one calf every 3–8 years!

Orcas have special blood vessels near their fins that help them stay warm in cold water!

When diving deep, Orcas can slow their heart rate to conserve oxygen!

Orcas can swim backward, though they rarely do so!

An Orca’s white patches help them recognize each other underwater!

Orcas have been known to help other marine mammals in distress, even those of different species!

The black and white coloring of Orcas is called countershading and helps them sneak up on prey!

Orcas have excellent memories and can remember other Orcas they’ve met even after many years!

Orcas’ black skin contains special pigments that protect them from sunburn!

Some Orcas can imitate the sounds of other animals, including sea lions!

An Orca’s blowhole can shoot water up to 30 feet (9 meters) in the air!

Female Orcas typically have their first calf between 12 and 16 years of age!

Baby Orcas are born with whiskers that fall out shortly after birth!

Baby Orcas begin making sounds before they’re born!

An Orca’s teeth are about 4 inches (10 cm) long — as long as a credit card!