Orca, or killer whale
An orca is a killer whale, which is a misnomer since it is in reality the largest member within the dolphin family. Orcas have a wide distribution around the globe, living in both polar and tropical waters and those in between.
Antarctic Orcas
According to the Antarctic Connection website, the most orcas congregate in the cold waters close to Antarctica, with perhaps as many as 160,000 living there.
Close to Home
Unlike many types of similar creatures such as whales, an orca will not engage in a lengthy seasonal migration. However, in pursuit of certain prey that is more available at different times of the year, they may move hundreds of miles.
Estuary
On occasion, an orca may swim into a bay or an estuary but they typically do not stray far from the open sea.
Social Orcas
The killer whale is at home near the coastline but also is equally comfortable living far out at sea. These intelligent and socially orientated animals frequently live, hunt and travel in groups.
Depth
The orca has the ability to dive to depths of around 100 feet, but it would rather hunt for its meals much closer to the water's surface.
Related posts
Turkeys forage for food during the winter.The wild turkey is native to North America, and founding father Benjamin Franklin believed that it should have been the national bird, rather than the bal...
Special bacteria help the koala eat eucalyptus leaves that are poisonous to most animals.Australia has around one million native species of plants and animals. Because of its geographic isolation,...
Golden eagles live in large territories of open land.The golden eagle belongs to the scientific genus Aquila. It is one of the largest species of eagle, reaching 3 feet in body length with a wings...
The common tailorbird gets its name from the nest it creates by "sewing" leaves together to form a cradle-like structure for its eggs. Tailorbirds are songbirds with a large repertoire,...
Characterized by a freshwater ecosystem in which organisms depend upon each other and the immediate environment, the pond habitat relies on a variety of different plants. To protect the pond envir...
