They have a white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye and ear. In a typical killer whale (Orca), let it of any type, you’ll probably see a black back with most of the part of the body including all of the fins in black. Have you ever noticed what make the Killer whales so big and huge? Yes, it’s their body’s big appearance and morphology. Killer Whale (Orca): Appearance and Morphologyĭiagram: Killer Whales (Orca): Appearance & Morphology They do travel at an approximately speed of 3 km/hour (1.8 miles/hour) in the marine water. They are rarely seen as they only come a few times on the surface of the water to breathe air and loves to stay in deeper waters ranging from 500 m to 2000 m depth. Upon reaching 2 meters in length, the Pygmy Killer whale males are considered sexually mature and fit for breeding. These small dolphins can weigh up to 496 lbs or 225 kgs when they get mature. The Pygmy killer whale is the smallest species of Killer Whale with an adult maximum body length of 8.5 feet or 2.6 m.Īnd, on average, Pygmy Killer whale’s newborns are nearly 2.6 feet (0.8 m) long, while adults are 6.5 feet (2 m) long. In fact, there’s a killer whale species called the Pygmy Killer Whale which is a poorly known and rarely seen oceanic dolphin species that are included in the same classification as that of the other huge killer whales under Family Delphinidae of the Animal Kingdom. You will find people saying that there ain’t any smallest killer whale species, and so they do consider the baby killer whales as the only small ones amongst the adult killer whales. In fact, they are the largest species of dolphins on planet earth.Īn adult Killer Whale is so powerful and big that if all of the members of the group (pod) come together and cooperate than they all can generate large oceanic waves that can wash seals from ice floes.Īnd such water waves look like tsunamis (giant waves) in the middle of the ocean. Though called Killer Whale, Orcas are not true whales. It is to be noted that the adult male killer whales are larger than their female ones of the same type with all of the including body features such as pectoral flippers, dorsal fins, tail flukes, and girth. On the other hand, a full grown adult female can have a weight of about 1,500 to 2,700 kg. Others: Getty.A full-grown killer whale can be anywhere between 7 to 9.5 m or 23 to 32 ft in length.Ī full-grown adult male can have a weight of about 3,620 to 5,440 kg. Orca breeching, belly: Bspujari, Dreamstime. Hughes Photos – Orca breaching, side: Monika Wieland, Shutterstock. Crafty, eh?!Ĭredits – Text adapted from feature by Catherine D. Such cool camouflage means prey like fish, penguins and seals are likely to miss the danger heading their way. On the other hand, the killer whale’s white underside blends with the light streaming down into the sea from the surface, making it hard to spot from below. Animals looking down on this powerful predator from above, such as a seal on an ice floe, might not see it because the whale’s dark back blends with the water below. Their backs are black, and their stomachs are white. Scientists believe the colour pattern of killer whales may help them sneak up on and attack their prey. Instead of chewing their food, they take one big gulp – and believe it or not, these brilliant beasts can swallow small seals and sea lions whole! Bigger prey is ripped into chunks before being eaten. Killer whales have around 45 teeth (each around 7.6 centimeters long), which are shaped for ripping and tearing prey. They chase, bite and wear it down until it becomes weak enough for them to feast on. Sometimes, a pod of whales will join forces to surround a larger animal, such as a blue whale. They will also slap their tails onto the water’s surface, causing a wave to wash prey (such as penguins or sea lions) off ice floes and into the water. Working together as they hunt, groups of killer whales cooperate to herd fish into a compact area so that they’re easier to gobble up. Often referred to as ‘ wolves of the sea’, killer whales live and hunt together in ‘pods’, or family groups, much like a pack of wolves. These mega marine mammals have many hunting techniques, and bumping seals off ice is just one of them. But wherever they are in any of the world’s oceans, average-sized killer whales may eat about 227 kilograms of food a day! Depending on the season and where they are, their diet varies – some eat plenty of fish and squid, others feast mostly on seals and penguins. Killer whales, also called orcas, hunt everything from fish to walruses – seals, sea lions, penguins, squid, sea turtles, sharks and even other kinds of whales are all on their menu. Ask your parents to check out Nat Geo Kids magazine! (AD)
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