Page 36 - World of Animals - Deadly Predators

15 1. How do they hunt?

Amazing Killer whales have multiple tactics for catching and subduing
their prey. Some pods herd fish into compact bait balls, or
surround a larger target like a whale and chase and bite at it
facts until it becomes too weak to fight or escape. Other orcas launch
themselves out of the surf, deliberately beaching themselves
to grab unsuspecting seals or sea lions before disappearing
back into the waves. A few groups have developed surprisingly
Killer waves that wash seals and penguins off ice floes.
sophisticated hunting methods, like using their weight to create

whales

Known as ‘wolves of the sea’,

killer whales use their brains and

strong bonds to take down prey

Words Victoria Williams

ORCA/KILLER WHALE
Orcinus orca
Lifespan Up to 90 years
Adult weight Up to 4. Why are killer whales
9,000kg (9.9 tons) black and white?
Conservation status
It’s thought that the
orca’s striking pattern,
DATA DEFICIENT bold and recognisable to
our eyes, actually acts as
camouflage. From above
the killer whale’s black back
blends in against the dark
2. Do all killer water. From below its white
whales belong to the underside matches the light
from the surface.
same species? 5. How do they sleep?

Some scientists believe that groups of Orcas never drift into a full
killer whales have become so different sleep like we do – instead
from each other that they’ve formed they let one half of their
new species. Three distinct forms with brain sleep at a time while
different diets, social structures and the other remains alert.
behaviours have been identified just Known as unihemispheric
within the North Pacific – offshore, sleep, this allows them
resident and transient. Offshore orcas to swim slowly near the
are smaller than the other types, live in surface, continue breathing
large pods with dozens of others, and normally and keep one eye
eat mainly fish and the occasional shark. on their surroundings.
Resident orcas also live mostly on fish
but are much more vocal and have 6. How big are a killer
more complex pod structures. whale’s teeth?
Transient killer whales roam in small Orcas have between 40
groups with weaker social ties, living and 56 teeth, each up
almost entirely on marine mammals to ten centimetres (four
and hunting aggressively with high inches) in length. The teeth
levels of cooperation. are conical and interlock
when the jaw is closed,
3. How big is a killer whale pod? Killer whales are highly social helping the killer whale to
tear the flesh of its prey.
animals, living in pods with up to 40 members. As they live for Like us, adults have just one

many decades, a pod can contain four generations of a family. set of teeth – lost and worn
teeth are not replaced.

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