Killer whaleKiller whaleVeronica SanchezVeronica Sanchez

BiologyBiology

Period 2*Period 2*

StatusStatus

Scientific Name: Scientific Name: Orcinus OrcaOrcinus Orca

Length/Weight: Length/Weight: males can grow males can grow as large as 32 as large as 32 feetfeet

Speed: Swim up Speed: Swim up to 30 mphto 30 mph

Color: Black & Color: Black & WhiteWhite

Habitat RangeHabitat Range

Some killer Some killer whales move all whales move all over the place over the place that killer whales that killer whales live in oceans.live in oceans.

Food ResourceFood Resource

Killer whales eat Killer whales eat many things such as many things such as polar bears, polar bears, penguins, krill, penguins, krill, porpoise, sea birds, porpoise, sea birds, squids, fish, sea squids, fish, sea otters, hake, halibut, otters, hake, halibut, & and many others & and many others marine mammals.marine mammals.

Killer whales send Killer whales send out some clicks and out some clicks and clacks and if they get clacks and if they get echo they know there echo they know there is something ahead.is something ahead.

Human InteractionHuman Interaction

Humans keep the Humans keep the killer whales captive killer whales captive like for example in Six like for example in Six Flags. Theirs good Flags. Theirs good and bad parts about and bad parts about them, the good thing them, the good thing is that people get to is that people get to see them and the bad see them and the bad thing is that then thing is that then killer whale don’t killer whale don’t have enough amount have enough amount of space for them to of space for them to swimswim

ReproductionReproduction

Orca breeding occurs Orca breeding occurs mostly in the winter to mostly in the winter to early spring while near the early spring while near the surface and in warm surface and in warm waters. waters.

The gestation period is The gestation period is about 16-17 months and about 16-17 months and the calf is born tail first the calf is born tail first (this is normal for (this is normal for cetaceans) and near the cetaceans) and near the surface, usually between surface, usually between October and March. October and March.

The newborn instinctively The newborn instinctively swims to the surface within swims to the surface within 10 seconds for its first 10 seconds for its first breath; it is helped by its breath; it is helped by its mother, using her flippers. mother, using her flippers.

HuntingHunting

Resident Killer Resident Killer Whales eat Whales eat predominantly fish predominantly fish (Salmon, Lingcod, (Salmon, Lingcod, halibut, greenling, halibut, greenling, and various small and various small flatfish). flatfish).

Killer whales often Killer whales often hunt cooperatively in hunt cooperatively in pods for food. pods for food.

When hunting a large When hunting a large whale, a pod of killer whale, a pod of killer whales may attack whales may attack from several angles from several angles

Social BehaviorSocial Behavior

Orcas live in small Orcas live in small pods of 6-40 whales; pods of 6-40 whales; they are very social they are very social animals. animals.

The members of a The members of a pod hunt together in pod hunt together in a very sophisticated a very sophisticated manner, attacking manner, attacking even very large prey even very large prey and then sharing it.and then sharing it.

The pod members The pod members protect the young, protect the young, the sick and the the sick and the injured. injured.

PicturesPictures

http://dingo.care2.com/pictures/c2c/shhttp://dingo.care2.com/pictures/c2c/share/14/147/722/1472205_370.jpgare/14/147/722/1472205_370.jpg

http://www.coloredwallpapers.com/http://www.coloredwallpapers.com/data/media/17/Killer_Whale.jpgdata/media/17/Killer_Whale.jpg

http://gs.riverdale.k12.or.us/http://gs.riverdale.k12.or.us/~rileyh15/2008killerwhale.jpg~rileyh15/2008killerwhale.jpg

http://http://theorcaproject.files.wordpress.com/theorcaproject.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/shouka.jpg?w=254&h=1982010/11/shouka.jpg?w=254&h=198

Work CitedWork Cited

http://www.acsonline.org/http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/KillerWhale.htmfactpack/KillerWhale.htm

http://www.seaworld.org/animal-http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/killer-whale/info/info-books/killer-whale/diet.htmdiet.htm

http://www.seaworld.org/http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/KillerWhale/infobooks/KillerWhale/deathkw.htmldeathkw.html