EA+

Week 4: The Incredible Orca Whales

And their Controversy

Vocabulary

- Captivity/Confinement - Nonprofit
- Necropsy - Forage
- Pneumonia - Innate
- Opportunistic - Couch potato
- Advocates - Compromise
- Cetacean - Enrichment
- Sea pen
- humane
The Killer Whale: Intro

Who?

- Marine Mammal - Orca (Orcinus orca)

- Known as Killer Whales
- Order = Cetacea
- Family = Delphinidae (same family as
dolphins)
- Largest of the dolphin family
- 33ft (10m) & 22,000lbs (10 tonnes)
- Females 70-100 years
- Males 30-50 years
- Extremely powerful and aggressive hunters
- Known for their black and white pattern
The Killer Whale: Intro

Where?

- GLOBAL -> one of the most diverse animal

species on the planet besides humans
- Alaska, New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific
Islands, Southease, West Coast
- Known to have different populations/forms of
killer whales worldwide (subspecies etc.)
- Open seas & coastal waters
- Swims 100 miles (160km) each day

Approx. 50,000 orcas globally

- All killer whale populations protected under

Marine Mammal Protection Act
- Endangered and faces several threats
The Killer Whale:
Anatomy

Dorsal Fin

- Males largest dorsal fin of any marine

mammal (6ft or 183cm)
- Female -> short and curved

Peduncle

- Large muscular area between dorsal fin and

flukes & back and caudal
The Killer Whale:
Anatomy
Echolocation

- w/ excellent eyesight AND hearing (jawbones

act as a amplifier) has echolocation
- High frequency sound waves passing through
melon
- Melon = echolocation organ on head
The Killer Whale:
Anatomy
Teeth

- 40 to 56 interlocking teeth
- 3 inches long
- Conical shape
- Used for ripping and tearing (X chewing)
The Killer Whale:
Anatomy
Respiratory system

- Conscious breathers
- Have to remember to take a breath every time
they need air
- Blowhole
- Top of head
- Muscular flap that opens and closes
The Killer Whale: Diet and Hunting

Eat ANYTHING

- Fish (salmon/tuna)
- Squid
- Seals
- Sea birds
- Other cetaceans (including whales!)
- Sharks (even the Great White Shark)
- And moose???
The Killer Whale: Social Creatures & Intelligence

Pods (families) of 3-20 members

- Led by matriarch (grandmother)

- Each family has own unique culture
- Hunting and diet
- Language and dialect
- rules
- Females and males stay in family
- Odd (most young leave once old enough)
Mama’s boys
- Females go through menopause
(reproduction stops)
- Rare characteristic ( humans)
- Why??
The Controversy: Captivity for Entertainment
Net worth: $10 million / orca Can orcas live in captivity??

- Why? Entertainment (ie. SeaWorld) - Large

- Far swimming
What are the effects? - Deep diving
- BOREDOM - Social!!! (wild orca caught and forced to be
- Early death (less than 30yrs) together)
- Aggression
- Several cases of aggression towards each
other
- Cases of aggression towards trainers
- Mental instability
- Teeth
- Self harm

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/orcas-captivity-welfare
Kayla
1st orca bred and born in captivity (1988-2019)

- Grew up in captivity
- Forced away from mother at 3
- Moved from park to park
- San Antonio -> Ohio -> San Antonio
-> Orlando
- Forced to have babies (whom died)
- Shows and entertainment for SeaWorld

Died at 30 years old

- Typical orca lifespan for female? NO

(80-100yrs)
- Later determined to have died of lung
disease
- Common due to stress
Blackfish documentary and Tilikum
Blackfish (2013) documentary by Gabriela
Cowperthwaite

- Exposed SeaWorld and maltreatment of orcas

in captivity
- Raised awareness

Followed Tilikum’s journey (wild caught)

- Tilikum was infamous

- Killed 3 trainers
- Pulled them into water and drowned them
- Did not let them come up for air
- Victim of bullying, boredom and separation
from family
Sanctuary???

Ending breeding in captivity programs

Last orcas will live out their years at park or

sanctuary

Sanctuary

- Large open space for captive born animals to

live (if failed integration back to wild)
- Several sanctuaries for other animals (lions,
tigers, chimps, wolves, bears etc) but none for
orcas
What do you think?

Should we continue the captivity of orcas? Are sanctuaries enough?

How about cetaceans in general?

Captivity/Confinement
Necropsy
Pneumonia
Opportunistic
Advocates
Cetacean
Sea pen
Humane
Nonprofit
Forage
Innate
Couch Potato
Compromise
Enrichment