Killer Whale Facts

• Killer whales' scientific name is Orcinus orca.

• Many people call killer whales orcas.

• Each killer whale family has its own special language or dialect.

• Killer whales are natural acrobats and often leap right out of the water.

• Killer whales often poke their heads out of the water to take a look around.

• Killer whales grow rapidly in the first year of their lives.

• Killer whales milk is extremely rich.

• Great white sharks may be a danger to very young killer whales but not to adult killer whales.

• Killer whales can live to about 50-80 years old.

• It takes 21 killer whales to produce the same amount of oil as 1 sperm whale.

• Male killer whales have very tall, straight dorsal fins, whereas female killer whales have smaller, more curved fins.

• Killer whales of all ages seem to enjoy playing in the waves produced by boats.

• A newborn killer whale calf can measures about 6.5 feet - 8 feet long and can weigh as much as 400 pounds.

• Killer whales can find their way under the ocean and hunt for their food without using their eyes.

• Killer whales eat a wide variety of ocean life, including squid, octopus, fish, sea turtles, otters, penguins, seals and sea lions, manatees, dolphins, and whales.

• Killer whales have acute, well developed vision.

• Killer whales are very gentle with humans.

• Killer whales make sounds while going about their various activities.

• Killer whales usually have just one calf at a time.

• Although, killer whales are shaped like fish and live in the ocean, they are in fact mammals.

• The common dolphins are one of killer whales' close relatives.