Killer Whales

KILLER WHALE (Orcinus Orca)


 

The Killer Whale is a member of the Cetacea family which are mammals with

• forelimbs modified into flippers
• a horizontally flattened tail
• one opr two nostrils at the top of the head for breathing 
• no hind limbs
• includes whales, dolphins and porpoises

       Killer Whales inhabit all of the earth's oceans. Next to humans, killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal. They are mostly found in the open ocean but are abundant in coastal waters. 
       Infant born (baby) killer whales are called calves. The pregnancy of an average killer whale ranges from 15 to 18 months and they are born all throughout the year but some specific regions may peak birth months. The northeast Pacific Ocean for example, have had occasions where calves are born between October and March.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE KILLER WHALE:

1. The average life span of the Killer Whale in the wild is 50-80 years old.
2. The average Killer Whale is around 5.2 tons but they cn weigh up to 6 tons.
3. Killer Whales have 40-50 teeth that grow up to 4 inches long.
4. Killer Whales live in family groups called "pods" and each pod has a number of 30-40 Killer Whales.
5. Baby Killer Whales or "Orca/Calves" are born up to 8 feet long and can weigh up to 400 pounds.  
6.  Female killer whales appear to become "reproductively active" between the ages of 10 to 16 years old
7. Killer Whales prefer to hunt "cooperatively" like wolves do. 
8. Killer Whales use "echolocation" to find food sources just like bats do.

MAJOR ISSUES FACING THE KILLER WHALE:

1.  New research shows that Killer Whales are inhaling bacteria, fungi and viruses once believed to be only found on land. Some of the pathogens are highly deadly and some are immune to most antibiotics. 
2.  There have been several cases where a large vessel or fishing boat, has gotten to close to a Killer Whale in the water. As a result, there have been reported collisions which have either seriously injured the whale or even killed it.
3.  Toxic substance ingested by Killer Whales that is due to fish being eaten by them. Because Killer Whales are top predators on the food chain, they eat nearly everything that comes to them as food. Fish that have been "contaminated" by toxins from landfills, man-made reservoirs, or human waste have become a big concern.
4. Commercial fishing has in some parts of the world lowered the food standard quantity for Killer Whales. Killer Whales rely on heavy quantity of fish for food resources. A shortage of fish for them could cause Killer Whales to either starve due to a food shortage or make them find a different food source; one not nature to them.

 The reason why I choose the killer whale  is because it is one of the few creatures that humans bond with physically. Like dolphins, they can and are used to perform shows with spectacular tricks at places like Sea World. However, unlike dolphins the killer whale is much more dangerous. Their enormous size and strength pale in comparison to that of the dolphins. Accidents can and do happen when humans choose to be around animals like that of these. Sometimes these "accidents" can result in a much greater tragedy than what people choose to think.  A fine example:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oyZqq_1hXus