Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
Killer Whale, Orcinus orca. Photograph taken in coastal waters off Danzante Island, Loreto, July 2018. Photography and identification courtesy of Ricky Trevor, Loreto, Baja California Sur.
Killer Whale, Orcinus orca. Photograph taken in coastal waters of Gonzaga Bay, Baja California, June 2016. Photography and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
The Killer Whale, Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758), is the largest member of the Delphinidae Family of Oceanic Dolphins, that are also known as Orcas and Panda Whales and in Mexico as asesina ballena. They are perhaps the most easily recognized, and most studied, of the toothed whales. Killer Whales received their name from early whalers who saw them attacking other species of whales, and called them Whale Killers. The scientific name appears to be a play on words: Orcinus means belonging to Orcus, a Roman god of the underworld; orca means barrel or chest, referring to the whale’s girth.
Killer Whales are very robust with conical heads and an indistinguishable beak. The sexes are dimorphic with males and females differing in size, relative fin size, and dorsal fin shape. The male’s dorsal fin is very erect with a straight trailing edge that reaches 1.8 m (6 feet 0 inches) in height. The female’s dorsal fin is falcate (curved) and about half the height of the males. Killer Whale flippers are much more rounded than those of other dolphins, with the male’s flippers significantly larger in proportion to the body than the female’s. The flukes of the male curve downward compared to the female. The Killer Whale’s black and white coloration is striking in its contrast. The fins and most of the body are black. They have a small oval patch of white behind the eye and the underside of the jaw, the ventral surface, the underside of the flukes, and curved patches, posterior to the dorsal fin, extending half way up the body from the ventral surface, are white. There is a gray to white saddle behind the dorsal fin, which varies in shape. Male Killer Whales reach 9.0 m (30 feet) in length and 5,600 kg (12,000 lbs) in weight. Females reach 7.9 m (26 feet) in length and 3,800 kg (8,400 lbs) in weight. Males have life spans of 50 and 60 years; females have been documented to live 90 years.
While the Orca is the only species of Killer Whale, there are several specific ecotypes within the species that vary widely in behavior and prey. This may eventually lead to the species to be separated into two or more new species. Some Killer Whales are resident populations that feed primarily on fish, such as salmon. Others are transient and feed on marine mammals, including other dolphins, whale calves, and the tongues of large whales. Some are more opportunistic and eat large game fish, octopus, penguins, polar bears, sea turtles, sharks, squid, and other land mammals that venture in to the sea. Much of the hunting appears coordinated and the hunt similar to a wolf pack. Killer Whales appear to be the apex predator in the ocean. There has never been a documented attack on a human in the wild.
Killer Whales are considered the most widely distributed cetacean species; some argue that, next to humans, they are the most widely distributed of all mammals. They are found in tropical, temperate, and polar seas. Most stay relatively close to shore but some venture far out to sea. They are accomplished divers, reaching depths of up to 2,650 m (8,700 feet). They are sometimes found in freshwater rivers, in search of fish schools. One was found 106 miles up the Columbia River in Oregon. Killer Whales are found along the entire Pacific coast of Mexico, including throughout the Sea of Cortez.
From a conservation perspective the Killer Whale is currently considered to be of Data Deficient requiring further studies and evaluations.
There are 40 synonyms for this species.
Note: I have had two personal encounters with Orcas. The first was in 2007 when a pod buzzed the commercial beach (Point Lobo) in Todos Santos, Baja California that created quite a stir amongst the commercial fishermen. The second was in 2009 and I was in Mexican panga sportsfishing and a small Orca fell in love with our motor, approaching and bumping the motor at least a half dozen times. It would not leave us alone and we had to vacate the location.