Orca

	Home \| Animal Kingdom \| Earth \| Ocean \| Resources \| Space \| Time \| Weather \| Science Tutors \| About

HOT TOPICS
World's Biggest Snake
Giant Squid
Amazon River
Deepest Ocean

Home > Ocean > Life in the Deep > Orcas

Killer Whales: Orcinus orca

Also known as "Killer Whales", most of us are familiar with them as the attractive and friendly creatures who smile at us from the pool at Sea World or Marine World, even giving "kisses" to their handlers. Considered the largest member of the dolphin family, they possess the second largest brain in the entire animal kingdom. With large males reaching up to 32 feet in length and weighing over 10 tons, Orcas are some of the largest predatory carnivores to roam the seas. Find out who holds the world record for largest ocean carnivore.

They are found in oceans the world over being as widely distributed as the most familiar species of creature - humans. We tend not to think of Orcas as being predators of the ocean, but their diet consists of pretty much the same thing as sharks; lots of fish, seals, and sea lions. What many people don't know about killer whales is that the Spanish used to call them, "whale killers" because they have been seen preying upon other whales, including the most immense of all creatures - the Blue Whale!

Orca vs. Great White Shark

Click on the "Play" button and hear the "song" of a pod of whales.

Photos of Killer Whales Orcas are enormous predators of the sea and they have been known to kill humans. However, the handful of authenticated deaths by Orca have occurred from orcas kept in captivity. In a clash between the Titans of the deep, the Orca and the Great White shark, there is no contest. Find out about just such an encounter that was documented with video footage and see who's left alive.

We just received actual video footage of a wild orca snatching a man off the shore while walking into the surf. See the video below...

tNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();