Orcas, or killer whales, are considered “toothed whales” along with about 75 other species. All dolphins are considered whales, but not all whales are considered dolphins. Both whales and dolphins are known as cetaceans, which is divided into two groups baleen whales and toothed whales. So first let’s get a couple things straight. Orcinus means ‘of the realm of the dead,’ and orca alludes to a kind of whale. The Latin name for orcas or killer whale is Orcinus orca, it also reflects this perception of orcas feeding on huge whales. Orcas were given the name ‘killer of the whale’ by ancient whalers, and the name changed to ‘killer whale’ over time. But why are orcas called ‘Killer whales’ if they are dolphins? Because dolphins and whales are closely related. They’re the sole species in this category, but their nearest family members are dolphin species from around South East Asia & Australia like the Irrawaddy dolphin. The film included testimony from former SeaWorld trainers and cetacean specialists, who argued that Tilikum’s stress directly led to his aggression towards humans.Ever wonder, is an orca a whale or a dolphin? Regardless of being called killer whales, orcas are members family Delphinidae and are more closely related to dolphins than whales. In 2013, the documentary film Blackfish laid bare the psychological toll of captivity, through the story of a wild-caught orca named Tilikum who had killed two trainers at SeaWorld Orlando. The stress of social disruption is compounded by the fact that orcas in captivity don’t have the ability to escape conflict with other orcas, or to engage in natural swimming behaviors in pools. Captive-born orcas are often transferred between facilities, breaking up social relationships. In captivity, orcas are kept in artificial social groups. In the wild, orcas live in tight-knit family groups that share a sophisticated, unique culture that is passed down through generations, research has shown. Usually related to stress and inappropriate habitats, stereotypic behavior has been documented in orcas in scientific research since the late 1980s. Orcas have been seen to develop stereotypies, also known as zoochosis-repetitive patterns of activity that have no obvious function, which range from self-mutilation to rocking and swaying.
Artificial enclosures in captivity cannon offer that kind of range to orcas, contributing to boredom and stress. Whether they're born in the wild or in captivity, all orcas born have the same innate drive to swim far and dive deep. They dive 100 to 500 feet, several times a day, every day. They have evolved to swim up to 40 miles a day, foraging for food and exercising.
However, it's become increasingly clear that orcas do not thrive in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent, social mammals that have long been a part of marine park entertainment, performing shows for audiences. In most cases, the bond between juvenile and mother will eventually weaken, and the young orca will go its own way, but in some pods, the juvenile may stay with the pod it was born into its entire life. They give birth to one baby at a time, which may nurse for up to two years. Mothers give birth every three to ten years, after a 17-month pregnancy. Orcas are protective of their young, and other adolescent females often assist the mother in caring for them. All pods use effective, cooperative hunting techniques that some liken to the behavior of wolf packs. Resident pods tend to prefer fish, while transient pods target marine mammals. These different groups may prey on different animals and use different techniques to catch them. There appear to be both resident and transient pod populations of orcas. Orcas hunt in deadly pods, family groups of up to 40 individuals. They are known to grab seals right off the ice. They're at the top of the food chain and have very diverse diets, feasting on fish, penguins, and marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches long. Though they often frequent cold, coastal waters, orcas can be found from the polar regions to the Equator. They use echolocation to communicate and hunt, making sounds that travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back, revealing their location, size, and shape. Smart and social, orcas make a wide variety of communicative sounds, and each pod has distinctive noises that its members will recognize even at a distance. They're immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring. Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators.
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