Orca Facts

Scientific Name:  Orcinus orca

The orca, or killer whale, is the largest and most widely distributed of the Delphinids, the family of cetaceans which includes dolphins and porpoises. The orca is the largest member of this family, and is easy recognizable by its striking black and white coloration. Orcas are at the top of the food chain and have no natural predators.

Orca Facts & Tidbits

• The enormous dorsal fin of an adult male can be 6 feet tall.
• Adult male Orca are larger than females and can reach lengths between 30 and 35 feet, adult females are between 20 and 25 feet. 
• They communicate with other members of their pod using clicks and whistles.  Pods can be recognized by their distinct "dialect". 
• The orca is a social animal that stays together in tight knit family groups called pods. These pods are matriarchal, in which a female is the pod leader.
  

Distribution

Killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal on the planet (aside from humans) and is found in all oceans, however they prefer regions of colder waters.  They inhabit nearshore and offshore waters but are generally found in waters less than 200 meters in depth.

Orca do not "migrate" seasonly like many other cetaceans, instead they move in order to locate prey. 

Status

IUCN Status: Data deficient (not enough information)

Population Trend: Unknown

In the United States the Southern Resident population of killer whales found in the Pacific Northwest are listed as endangered under the ESA (Endangered Species Act).

Learn more about threats to whales here.

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