Top 10 AMAZING FACTS About Orcas (Killer Whales)

You’ve seen them in movies; you’ve seen them on the news; and if you’re lucky maybe you’ve seen them in the wild. Today we’re talking about the amazing orca, one of the most recognizable animals on earth. There’s lots to learn about this distinctive and unique species, so let’s get started on 10 amazing facts about orcas.

Number 10: They’re Not Actually Whales

Although we often call them killer whales, orcas are in fact the largest member of the dolphin family. They may resemble small whales in size and physicality, but their teeth place them firmly among the dolphins. All dolphins and porpoises fall under the order of Cetacea, but the orcas’ teeth classify them under the suborder Odontoceti, which makes them “toothed whales.” But didn’t we just say they aren’t whales? Orcas are classified as toothed whales because of their suborder, but they belong to the family Delphinidae, which means “oceanic dolphins.” Check out these Orca Facts!

Number 10: Distinct Features

What else makes orcas so unique? Let’s get a little more detailed about their length and weight. As babies, they weigh around 400 pounds, or 181 kilograms, and measure between 6 and 9 feet, or 1.8 to 2.7 meters long. But that’s nothing compared to when an orca reaches adulthood. By that time, they can weigh up to six tons and be anywhere from 23 to 29 feet, or 7 to 8.8 meters long. They are also one of the fastest animals in the world. When swimming, they can reach speeds between 30 and 40 miles per hour, or 48 to 64 kilometers per hour.

Number 8: It’s Mealtime

This quickness and agility in the water enables orcas to catch almost any prey they want. And when it’s feeding time, they look for animals that are sometimes even larger than they are. Orcas will eat sea lions, sharks, fish, squid, sea birds, and whales. They also eat other species of dolphin, although they’re harder to catch than some other prey because they can swim so quickly. In a high-speed chase, it’s not easy for a killer whale to open its mouth due to the drag it would cause on its lower jaw, so orcas will typically ram dolphins to stun them before going in for the kill.

Number 7: King of the Ocean

It’s no wonder based on how they hunt and the variety of their diet that orcas have no problem finding food. And it should not come as a surprise that they are at the top of the ocean’s food chain. An orca’s size alone allows it to catch a huge variety of prey, but another contributing factor is the speed at which they chase what they want to eat. And with no natural predators, they’re clearly the kings and queens of the ocean.

[hunterdavenport]

This was probably the single coolest video I've seen in my entire life, I am so happy

[legoDragonfly-]

Also we do know how they got the name as They killed whales it comes.from a Latin "Orcinus Orca"
Which kimda means "whale of the dead" or killer Whale as we now know

[Dreadwing]

The average size of orcas males reach up to 30ft while females 27ft. The maximum size of male orcas can reach up to 35ft

[kat-den]

Orcas used to be called whale killers by sailors then it changed to killer whales which are not really whales, but are part of the porpioses and dolphine classification. They have teeth where whales do not

[emilybrackett]

I don't care if a mygalomorph crawls on my face while I'm sleeping TBH. Inles it's an old world tarantula. They can kill you but the good news is that they live in the southern hemisphere. The bad news. For us anyway. We're going to Australia for my graduation trip! I'm super excited actually.

[TheBrilliance]

I have a pet orca stuffie and he’s so cute 💛💛💛💛 i named him oliver
I wanna see one in real life, I might die tho

[keepondancing]

They’re not orcas they’re killer whales😮😢😂😂😂😂😂

[mohamedaweys]

dolphins are whales. At least Get the basics right.

[emtakarohidemty]

don't joke . they do never hunt others of their kind

[future_lqv]

I love orcas I literally have a pet dolphin and a pet orgasm but there are stuffies😅😍