Orca

The largest of the dolphins has no single way of hunting. In the Antarctic, groups swim side by side to raise a wave that washes seals off ice floes. Off Argentina, orcas surge onto beaches to seize sea lion pups. Norwegian pods herd herring into tight balls and stun them with tail slaps.

• Each family group has its own set of calls, a dialect that calves learn from their mother and her relatives.
• In the fish-eating resident populations of the north-east Pacific, both sons and daughters stay with their mother for life.
• Nicks in the dorsal fin and the shape of the saddle patch differ between animals, and researchers use photographs of them to follow individuals for decades.
• In the north-east Pacific, fish-eating and mammal-eating orcas share the same waters but do not interbreed.
• Newborn calves are about 2 to 2.5 metres long, and their pale patches are tinged yellow or orange at first.

Orcas rest and travel in coordinated periods, remaining socially connected even while sleeping partially.

Habitat: Coastal seas, open ocean, cold water systems, and productive marine food webs.

Native range: Oceans worldwide from polar waters to temperate and some tropical regions.

Fish, seals, rays, whales, squid, or sharks may support Pod Intelligence depending on population because food is captured through learned cooperation.

Orcas rest and travel in coordinated periods, remaining socially connected even while sleeping partially.

Females live about 50 years on average and can reach 80 or more; males average about 30 and rarely pass 60. These figures come mainly from populations in the north-east Pacific.

After a pregnancy of about 17 months, females give birth to single calves and may live long after reproduction. Calves suckle for a year or more, and a female typically has one every five years or so, stopping at around 40.

Adult males are larger, typically about 6 to 8 metres long against about 5 to 7 for females, and carry a tall, upright dorsal fin up to about 1.8 metres high. A female's fin is roughly half that height and curves backwards.

Rarity: Uncommon · 52/100. Orcas are globally widespread, though some local populations are small and threatened.

• Keep distance and let the animal choose the space.
• Avoid blocking movement routes, nesting areas, or feeding behavior.
• Use optics, patience, and quiet observation instead of crowding for a closer view.