Killer Whales (Orca)

The orca is a species of killer whale that can be found in almost any environment, ranging from the frigid waters of the arctic to the tropical seas. Killer whales have an average lifespan of almost fifty years, which is impressively long for a marine mammal. The orca is a carnivore, feeding on a wide variety of animals including small fish, seals, and even other whales depending on the circumstance.  There have even been cases documented where a pack of killer whales would hunt and kill fully grown blue whales, which are usually over sixty feet long.  Usually, they pose no threat to humans, although there have been some cases of the animals injuring their captors in theme parks such as SeaWorld.  They are highly social creatures, as they travel in groups and families tend to stay together.  Killer whales are usually found in packs (or pods) of somewhere between 6-40 whales. Because they are mammals, they have to surface to breathe, expelling air through their blowhole.  Orca can hold their breath for about twelve minutes, although under normal circumstances they usually only stay under for around five or six minutes.  They are very intelligent creatures, and have been observed to actively teach their young skills that will be helpful for survival.  For example, mothers have been observed to push their young onto the land, allowing the young whale to find its own way back into the ocean, while the mother watches from a distance. Different pods of orca have their own languages and dialects to communicate with each other, which is mostly in the form of clicks.  They can also be trained relatively easy, which is why they are a common show at marine-based theme parks.  The killer whale is an endangered species due to a loss of habitat as well as the illegal hunting and killing of the species.

I will leave you today with a video of someone who is stuck in a kayak, surrounded by killer whales. Personally, I would be terrified to be in her situation, but to each their own I guess.