KILLER WHALE

The Killer whale or orca is one of the toothed whales and the largest member of
the dolphin family. They have long, round bodies with big dorsal fins in the middle
of their back. Their bodies are black with white patches underneath and near their
eyes. These distinctive patterns help to camouflage them when they are searching
for food. In newborns, the white parts of their body have an orange tinge.
Killer whales are highly social animals; they are active during the day and sleep at
night. They travel in pods of between 3 and 50 individuals, led by females. They
establish social hierarchies.
Pod members learn skills through apprenticeships, such as hunting and parenting.
Killer whales are very vocal animals and communicate with each other using
whistles and clicks via echolocation, and through physical behavior such as
breaching, slapping their tail or flippers, and ‘spyhopping’, when they lift their head
above the water.