Page 80 - World of Animals - Book of Sharks & Ocean Predators

Sharks & Ocean Predators
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18Fantastic facts

Killer whales

Killer by name, killer by nature?

It’s time to find out the truth Killer whales are dolphins
about the whale that isn’t a Despite their name, killer whales are in fact the
whale, from which even great largest members of the dolphin, or delphinidae
whites make a hasty retreat family. Though just to confuse matters further,
all dolphins fall under the order of infraorder
odontoceti or toothed whales!

They go by many names
Today, they are most commonly known as orcas and
killer whales, but their Latin name orcinus orca is thought
to translate in modern terms to ‘demon from hell’. Across

the centuries and different cultures, they have also been
called asesinas de ballenas, which translates as whale
killers in Spanish, zwaardwalvis, meaning sword whale
in Dutch and shachi, the Japanese term for tiger and fish.

Excluding humans, Family matters to orcas Their closest
no mammal’s range is A mother cares for her calf for one to two years. Even relatives are
as widespread as the
orca’s. They are found once they have matured, most killer whales will stay in actually hippos
in all of Earth’s oceans, the same pod as their mother for the rest of their lives. Despite acting more like wolves,
from the equator to orcas share a common ancestor
both poles with the hippopotamus, a
prehistoric pig-like animal called
Just behind the dorsal
fin, killer whales have a indohyus that lived around 48
grey patch known as the million years ago.
saddle, or cape. Varying
in shape and colouration They are the
between individuals
and easily spotted from fastest marine
the surface, this is often mammals
used along with the fin These apex predators are the
to identify individuals
cheetahs of the sea. In 1958 a
Male orcas are slightly bull killer whale was clocked
larger than females travelling at 55.5 kilometres
and their dorsal fi n is (34.5 miles) per hour in the
an indicator of gender Pacifi c Ocean.

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