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Some strategies have especially caught the attention of scientists. For example, in shallow waters close to the coast, they approach the beach to catch seals, sea lions or sea elephants to the point of getting almost stranded, although this does not happen. This bold behavior is taught to the young. Moreover, some orcas raise their head out of the water to spot prey resting over small ice floes.
After locating a prey, a group approaches strong enough to create a wave of considerable size and strength to drag the prey into the water or at least to the edge of the floe. Additionally, Orcas move the floating ice to get the prey into the water. When the prey falls, the Orca in the place of the fall feeds on it.
Killer whales do not use their teeth to chew, they swallow small prey whole. However, they need to break the bodies of large animals to eat them. Students and teachers are allowed to use this information for school projects and homework. The Associated Press reported that a surfer was bitten in California in the early s, which is the only relatively well-documented case of a wild orca actually biting a human.
Orcas in captivity, however, have attacked and killed people. Although wild killer whales do not intentionally harm people, they have attacked boats. There were many reports beginning in the summer of of orcas ramming into and causing damage to sailing boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal, according to BBC News. Three juvenile male orcas were involved in most of the attacks, and marine biologists investigating the incidents believe that the young males were playing with the boats by targeting the rudders and pushing the boats around.
Orcas are very social creatures and live in family groups called pods, which have up to 50 members, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web ADW. These pods are made up of related mothers and their descendants, known as matrilines. A male orca will stay with its mother for life, while daughters may spend time away after having calves of their own, according to the wildlife charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation WDC. Pods often have their own distinctive calls, or dialects, to communicate, but they will associate with other pods and can come together to form even larger, temporary groups.
A female killer whale will give birth to one offspring at a time every three to 10 years. The gestation period usually lasts for around 17 months according to SeaWorld. Orcas work together to take care of the young, and other females in the pod will often help with the rearing. Female killer whales have an average life span of 50 years, but some individuals are estimated to have lived up to years.
Males live shorter lives, with an average life span of 29 years and a maximum life span of 60 years, according to the Center for Whale Research in Washington state. Killer whales are the most widely distributed mammals, other than humans and possibly brown rats, according to SeaWorld. They live in every ocean around the world and have adapted to different climates, from the warm waters near the equator to the icy waters of the North and South Pole regions.
Orcas have been known to travel long distances. For example, one study found that a group of orcas traveled from the waters off of Alaska to those near central California, according to IUCN — a distance of more than 1, miles 1, km. All orcas are currently listed under one species, Orcinus orca. However, there are recognizable differences between populations, and biologists have identified several distinct forms, known as ecotypes, which may actually be different species or subspecies, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA.
Killer whale ecotypes can vary in size, diet and behavior. In the North Pacific, scientists have identified resident orcas, which tend to have small ranges — hence the name — and specialize in catching fish.
Bigg's killer whales, or transient orcas, can also be found in the North Pacific. These orcas travel great distances and hunt mammals such as seals and whale calves.
Offshore orcas can also be found in this region.
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