The Orca
By Kaitlyn Hallsted
Powerful Orca
Six tons of pure power whacks an ice floe floating in cold Arctic waters. The seal lying on top of the ice doesn't stand a chance. Knocked into the sea, the seal becomes a meal for one of the ocean's top predators—the huge orca, or killer whale.
20 facts about the Orca
Killer whale facts: 20 facts about Killer Whales
Orca Pod
Often referred to as wolves of the sea, orcas live and hunt together in cooperative pods, or family groups, much like a pack of wolves. They work together as they hunt. Groups of orcas cooperate to herd fish into a compact area so that they're easier to eat. They will also slap their tails onto the water's surface, causing a wave to wash prey, such as penguins or sea lions, off ice floes and into the water. Sometimes a pod of whales will join forces to surround a larger animal, such as a blue whale. They chase, bite, and wear it down until it becomes a meal. Pods are long-term units made up of males, females and calves. Within the pods, there are smaller units called maternal groups, consisting of mothers and their offspring. Above the pods in the social structure are clans - groups of pods that associate over time and may be related.
Hunting
Orcas hunt everything from fish to walruses—seals, sea lions, penguins, squid, sea turtles, sharks, and even other kinds of whales. Depending on the season and where they are, their diet varies—some orcas eat more fishes and squid than seals and penguins. But wherever they are in any of the world's oceans, average-sized orcas may eat about 500 pounds of food a day. Orcas have many hunting techniques, and bumping seals off ice is just one of them.
Prey
Orcas' teeth, numbering about 45 and each measuring about 3 inches long, are shaped for ripping and tearing prey. Orcas do not chew their food. They can swallow small seals and sea lions whole. The prey slides down the orcas' throats! Bigger prey is eaten in chunks. The color pattern of orcas may help them sneak up on and attack their prey. Their backs are black, their stomachs are white. Animals looking down on an orca from above, such as a seal on an ice floe, might not see it because the whale's dark back blends with the water below. On the other hand, the whale's white underside blends with the light streaming down into the sea from the surface, making it hard to spot from below. With orcas camouflaged so well, those prey fish, penguins, or seals are likely to miss the danger heading their way, as the killer whale once again proves it is the oceans' superbly designed hunter.
Where Orcas Live
Orcs are found in all the world's oceans.that they are second only to humans as the most widely distributed mammal in the world.