Menu
We Love Dolphins Blog
  • Home
  • UK Store
  • USA Store
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
We Love Dolphins Blog

Orcas: Are They Whales Or Dolphins?

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Brianna Dalton

There’s a reason why Orcas are called Killer Whales. But is this creature a whale or a dolphin?

Orcas (killer whales) swimming
Orcas (Killer Whales) Swimming (Courtesy: NOAA/Wikimedia Commons PD)

Some sea creatures seen to jump right out of mythical tales because of their ferocity and size. One such mammal is the Orca (Orcinus orca), also called ‘Killer Whale.’

The question here is:  Are orcas whales or dolphins? No. They are not whales. Yes they are dolphins. In fact, they are the largest of dolphins and the most powerful predators in the seas today. You can immediately recognize them by their distinctive black-and-white colored bodies.

They can weigh up to 6 tons with an average length of between 20 and 32 feet. Killer whales live for about 50 to 80 years.

Dolphins and whales both belong to the order Catacea, which include whales, dolphins, and also porpoises. However, when defining Catacea, the latter two are generally deemphasized. That’s why people generally mistake Orcas for whales.

Why the name ‘Killer Whales’?

Another reason most people assume Orcas are whales is because of the name killer whale. You must be wondering why these dolphins are so called. Well, they owe that name to sailors who observed groups of Orcas hunting whales and called them the ‘asesina ballenas,’ which is Spanish for assassin whale or whale killers. With time, that changed to killer whale.

Their scientific name is Latin, Orcinus Orca. Wonder what that means? It means ‘belonging to Orcus.’ Orcus is the Roman god of the dead or underworld.

Orcas are right at the peak of the food chain, even above the sharks. As a result, they have no natural higher predator. No wonder they kill for a living.

What do they eat?

An Orca attacking a seal on ice
An Orca Attacking A Seal On Ice (Courtesy: NOAA/Wikimedia Commons PD)

They get their reputation because they will eat just about anything large enough that they meet in the water. Killer whales will snatch seals right off icebergs and eat them. 

Typical to the dolphins, Orcas use echolocation to hunt down their prey and they hunt in groups called pods. Often, they are up to 40 individual killer whales in these groups.

You could almost liken their hunting behavior to that of a wolf pack. That is true of all dolphins, it is more like a typical hunting style.

Millions of years ago, different groups of killer whales started eating other things to avoid competition for the similar type of food. This led to the development of ecotypes. Orcas have very large brains compared to other mammals, pretty much explains the decision to eat different things in order to avoid competition.

Fun fact: they also have different ‘dialects.’ Each group has its own communication style that is different from another group. Members can distinguish the communication sound of their own group when they hear these sounds.

Growth and Breeding

Adult male Orcas can grow to about 30 feet long. On the other hand, the adult female killer whales grow up to 20/23 feet long. Their weight can be anywhere between 3 and 10 tons.

Threats to Orcas

Though there is no other mammal as powerful as the killer whale, these majestic creatures are not free from threats.

As you can expect, the major threat they face is from us, humans. Some common ways human activities are negatively affecting Orcas include:

  • Oil spills
  • Bio-contamination
  • Competing for prey (industrial fisheries)
  • Colliding with boats and ships

Another major threat is the practice of keeping them in captivity. Orcas often live up to a whopping 80 years. However, in captivity they tend to live only about 20 years.

Also, Orcas in captivity will attack humans more frequently and most of these attacks are fatal.

Due to the negative effects of captivity on these class of dolphins, some organizations are working to protect them. They include: WDC (supported by Mountaineers Foundation), Orca Conservancy, The Whaleman Foundation, etc.

Fortunately, these highly intelligent, trainable creatures have never been extensively hunted by humans.

References:

1. http://uk.whales.org/wdc-in-action/facts-about-orcas

2. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/o/orca/

3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale

Photo Credits:

1. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Killerwhales_jumping.jpg

2. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Killer_Whale_Tipe_B.jpg

Facebook Comments
  • are orcas dolphins
  • are orcas whales
  • killer whales
  • orcas
  • All About Dolphins

    • Dolphin Information
    • Dolphin Movies
    • Species Profile
    We Love Dolphins

    2 hours ago

    We Love Dolphins
    Timeline Photos ...

    Photo

    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    We Love Dolphins

    4 hours ago

    We Love Dolphins

    Top 10 Most Unique Gifts For Dolphin Lovers - We Love Dolphins Blog

    www.welovedolphins.club

    If you've ever seen a dolphin, you would understand why people love them so much. Here are some of the most unique gifts for dolphin lovers available today.
    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    We Love Dolphins

    6 hours ago

    We Love Dolphins
    Timeline Photos ...

    Photo

    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    We Love Dolphins

    8 hours ago

    We Love Dolphins

    Is The Yangtze River Dolphin Extinct Or Not? - We Love Dolphins Blog

    www.welovedolphins.club

    The Yangtze River Dolphin is one of the most rare and endangered species on the planet. But what is the actual situation of this beautiful animal today?
    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    We Love Dolphins

    10 hours ago

    We Love Dolphins

    Species Profile: The Irrawaddy Dolphin - We Love Dolphins Blog

    www.welovedolphins.club

    The beautiful Irrawaddy Dolphin has been a friend of fishermen for centuries now. But, it’s now functionally extinct in regions like Laos.The Irrawaddy dolphin is also regarded as a sacred animal by both Khmer and Lao people
    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    About We Love Dolphins

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Recent Comments

    • Isabel Aichinger on The “Smiling” Irrawaddy Dolphin of Myanmar Is Being Hunted Into Extinction
    • Kitty cat on 7 Amazing But True Stories Of Dolphins Saving People

    Recent Posts

    • What Are The Differences Between Whales And Dolphins?
    • 10 Of The Most Popular Dolphin Movies Of All Time
    • Species Profile: The Common Bottlenose Dolphin
    • 6 Clever Ways Dolphins Hunt For Food
    • Top 10 Places To See Wild Dolphins In 2017
    ©2021 We Love Dolphins Blog | Powered by WordPress & Superb Themes
    This website uses cookies to improve your experience (Read More). We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled

    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

    Non-necessary

    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

    SAVE & ACCEPT