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The killer whale is one of the amazing and unique inhabitants of the sea. Sometimes there are disputes about how to write the word correctly. In fact, there is a bird with a similar name, which needs to be written in a. This is a killer whale bird. Orca is called whale.
These animals are very beautiful in appearance, but it is important to remember that they are ferocious predators, no less dangerous than the white shark. These whales are distinguished by their very aggressive nature, their behavior is unpredictable.
The appearance of killer whales is very attractive. The body is shaped like a dolphin. It is elongated, dense. The color of these animals is black and white. But in size they are much larger than dolphins. The length of the killer whale's body can reach 10 m, in some males the length of the fin reaches about 1.5 m. They have a relatively short head with a somewhat flat shape. To break prey, these predators have powerful teeth that grow in 2 rows.
All representatives of the species above the eyes present white spots.Almost every individual they have an individual form. It is by the sight of this spot that one animal can be distinguished from the rest. Despite its danger, these inhabitants of the world's oceans are very beautiful. There are 3 types of these animals: large, small (or black), and also dwarf.
Where dwells
The favorite habitat of these predators is the Arctic Ocean. Many of them are also in the North Atlantic. At the same time, representatives of the species live in warm waters only in summer.
They swim very quickly and well. They often swim up to the shores. Swim in the bay, staying there for quite a long time. There are cases when people have seen orcas even in rivers. Their most favorite habitat is the coastal zone, where many fur seals swim. Today, science cannot determine how many individuals of this species live on our planet. It is estimated that today there are about 100,000 representatives.At the same time, scientists have calculated that most of them live in the waters of the Antarctic. This is about 75-80% of all killer whales in the world.
Lifestyle
These animals prefer a gregarious lifestyle. Usually in one herd of killer whales there are up to 20 animals. They almost always try to stay close. Alone, the killer whale can be found quite rarely. If we see a lonely individual, most likely it is a weakened animal.
Herds of killer whales may be few in number. For example, a family consisting of parents and their children.
In a larger herd may include several males. The rest are females. It is noteworthy that a male can move to another family more than once during a lifetime. But females never do that. They all live in the same herd. If it becomes numerous, then several of its representatives are simply eliminated.
Character
These animals are distinguished by their mobility, which makes them even more like dolphins. They love to play in the water. During the chase for the victim, the killer whales do not jump out, but remain in it. Therefore, if you see orcas jumping, turning over, it means they are playing. If they had seen prey in you, they would not have done it.
Usually they are very attracted to the sound that makes the motorboat. Hearing him, the killer whale can chase her for a very long time. These inhabitants of the oceans and seas are able to sail at a speed of 55 km / h.
In the herd, they behave peacefully, friendly and reserved. They are very friendly. If one of the members of the herd is suddenly injured, the others will surely help him. They do not leave their associates to die. Even if someone attacks a weak animal, they will defend it. Although such situations happen very rarely.
Such friendliness is manifested only in relation to their own. That is, to those individuals that are in the same herd. These mammals are aggressive towards other inhabitants of the sea, as well as other killer whales that are part of another herd.
They hunt together, and then play together, jumping over the surface of the water and tumbling.
Representatives of this species have no enemies in nature. Their only enemy is hunger. Large individuals especially suffer from it. These whales are not suitable for feeding small sized fish. In addition, the tactics of their hunting is not suitable for such prey. Catching an orca fish is very difficult.Yes, and such prey large animals do not get enough.
Reproduction and nutrition
Orca food depends on what type it belongs. They are of two types: sedentary and transit. In the diet of resident, as a rule, include various mollusks, fish. They also love to eat squid. Sometimes they eat fur seal pups. They don’t eat their own kind. The peculiarity of settled killer whales is that they always live in the same area. They can sail to another place only during the breeding season.
But transit killer whales differ in their behavior from sedentary. They are super predators. They move in small herds, in which there are no more than 6 representatives. Together they attack the big inhabitants of the ocean. Their victims are whales and even sharks. Often attacked by dolphins. The orca easily wins the shark. She grabs her and carries her to the bottom, where, together with her fellows, she tears her apart.
Sexual maturity comes in 8 years. But they do not breed annually. They produce offspring every 3 years, and sometimes even less. The pregnancy of the female lasts 16 months.Cubs are usually born in summer or spring. They are brought forth by the tail. Immediately after that, their mother throws them up in the air so that the baby can breathe for the first time. The rest of the pack greet them. When they move from place to place, the mother and the young are always under the protection of their relatives.
Depending on their diet and lifestyle, killer whales have a different lifespan. On average, it is about 40 years, but it can last longer.
Captivity
They can often be seen in the aquarium. Shows with their participation are very interesting for both adults and children. After all, these animals are attractive and graceful. They jump, perform various tricks. They are easy to train, get used to people. But they are distinguished by rancor.
Protectors of nature often oppose the captivity of these sea creatures. After all, they live in such conditions much less. In addition, their hearing can disappear or their fins disappear. The animal has more aggressive behavior. The performances and the noise that the audience emit causes stress.
Video: killer whale (Orcinus orca)
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