ORCAS

ORCINUS ORCA

The distinctive black and white orca, or ‘killer whale’, is the largest member of the dolphin family – an adult male can grow to nine metres long and weigh a colossal 10 tonnes (the equivalent of nine cars or 133 people!).

Streamlined and powerful, the orca is perfectly adapted for marine life and one of the ocean’s fastest mammals (reaching 56 km/hour).

Orca live up to 80 years or more, are highly intelligent and lead complex social lives. Permanent mother-led groups form extended families called ‘pods’ which hunt, rest, play and travel together. Though mothers are the primary care-givers, everyone plays a part in caring for the young.

Sound travels well in water and orcas communicate with calls, clicks and whistles with each pod having its own distinct dialect; they use echolocation to navigate and find food.

Mating takes place between individuals from different pods and lengthy courtship is thought to occur. Following a 17 month gestation, a female produces just one calf every 4-5 years. The calf suckles most of its first year and remains with its family for life.

*International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world’s main authority on the conservation status of species

IUCN* STATUS

Data Not Available
POPULATION

Data Not Available
DIET

Carnivorous – fish, seals, sea lions, dolphins and even large whales
HABITAT

Virtually any marine habitat, but most common in cold water areas of high marine productivity, particularly at higher latitudes and from shores and the surf zone to the open sea
LOCATION

All over the globe but especially in food-rich areas. Two types of orca have been identified: ‘residents’ stay in one area whereas ‘transients’ roam widely

ISSUES

Orca are under threat, both in the wild, from fishing nets and pollution, and in captivity from exploitation by the ‘entertainment’ industry.

OUR WORK

Born Free firmly believes that concerted efforts are needed to protect the survival of orcas in the wild.

We are opposed to the keeping of orca in captivity and work with like-minded organisations to raise awareness about the plight of orca in captivity.

WE RAISE FUNDS TO SUPPORT . . .

FIELD CONSERVATION

We work together with Orcalab, to release captive orca. Throughout the world countless orca, as well as dolphins and whales, are exploited in marine parks and ‘swim with’ tourist attractions.

We have a long-term field study taking place on wild orca in Canada.

Orcas are found in every ocean, but the resident orcas off British Colombia are the best-studied community of whales in the world. This pod has been monitored by Orcalab for over 30 years to understand orca behaviour and safeguard their future.

ORCA LAB