Orca

Emily C.Science Report

Mr. CastrellonMay 2014

Introduction

This presentation will be about Orcas, also known as killer whales. Scientists classify Orcas as dolphins not whales. This marine mammal’s scientific name is Orcinus Orca.

In this power point you will learn about there anatomy, diet, habitat, range, map of range, family life, life cycle, migration, average body size and weight and you will learn a lot of interesting facts.

Anatomy

Diet Whales eat seals, 30 species of

fish, 96% of their fish diet is salmon, sharks (particularly makos, threshers and smooth hammerheads), sea birds, sea lions, squid, penguins, porpoises, sea turtles.

Habitat

Killer Whales are found in most oceans and seas. The best places to see Killer Whales are in the deep inshore waters, encloused bays or between islands were particular groups have been seen, visited or studied regularly. North America, northern Norway, Japan, and Ice-land, as well as waters near Antarctica are great places to study them.

Range and map of range

Orcas are found throughout the world’s oceans.

Family Life

Day –to-day, killer whales behavior generally consists of foraging, traveling, resting and socializing. Normally killer whales cruise slowly in small “family” groups of up to a dozen. They dive together, together, disappearing for less than a minute.

Life Cycle

When a baby whale (called a calf) is born it emerges it tail first from its mother’s body. Its mother pushes up the calf to the surface. There it takes its first breath. Female killer whales mature at around age 15. They have periods of polyestrous cycling with noncycling periods of between 3 and 16 months.

calf

juvenile

adult

Migration

Killer whales that are found off the shores of California migrate between Canada and South America.

Average body size and weight

Males can measure 6 to 8 meters (20 to 60 ft.) long and weight in excess of 6 tons

Females are smaller from 5 to 7 meters (16 to 23 ft.) and weighing over 3 to 4 tons.

A newborn Orca is longer, than a man is tall, and an adult male is nearly as long as a school bus up to 32 feet (6 to 8 meters) long.

Intresting Facts Orcas are sometimes called the

wolves of the sea because they hunt in groups like wolf packs. Everyone calls them whales, but killer whales are no more than very big dolphins, with a short, rounded head and compact, chunky body.

Intresting Facts

The Orca has a powerful, agile baby that helps make it one of the most effective of all predators. Baby Orcas are black and white like their mother. Orcas swim up to 30 miles (48 km) per hour.