Marine Mammals
Orca
Orcinus orca
Also known as
Killer whale, Blackfish, Aarluk
Distribution
Global: All latitudes in all oceans
Écosystèmes/habitats
Coastal to open ocean
Feeding Habits
Predator
Conservation Status
Endangered/Threatened/Special Concern
Taxonomie
Order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), Family Delphinidae (dolphins)
Partager
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+Orcas are highly adaptable. They are found in every ocean in the world and likely have the largest geographic distribution of any species, after humans. They are one of the ocean’s top predators. In fact, their nickname “killer whale” comes from their reputation of being ferocious predators, exhibiting dramatic behaviours when toying with their prey. Orcas and other dolphins are thought to be some of the smartest animals on the planet, challenging the great apes (chimpanzees and gorillas) for the top spot. They are also extremely curious, often approaching people to investigate.
Orcas are highly social and live in complex matriarchal groups called pods. Both female and male offspring remain with their mothers for their entire lives. Their pods are tightknit groups led by older females that provide decades of knowledge to support the pod.
- American Lobster
- American Plaice
- Arctic Char
- Atlantic Cod
- Atlantic Herring
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Atlantic Puffin
- Atlantic Walrus
- Atlantic Wolffish
- Beluga Whale
- Blue Shark
- Bowhead Whale
- Bubblegum Coral
- Canary Rockfish
- Capelin
- Chinook Salmon
- Dungeness Crab
- Eulachon
- Fin Whale
- Fjords
- Giant Pacific Octopus
- Great White Shark
- Green Sea Turtle
- Greenland Halibut/Turbot
- Greenland Shark
- Humboldt Squid
- Humpback Whale
- Kelp Forests
- Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Lingcod
- Lion's Mane Jellyfish
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle
- Lophelia Coral
- Narwhal
- North Atlantic Right Whale
- Northern Gannet
- Northern Shrimp
- Orca
- Pacific Herring
- Pilot Whale
- Polar Bear
- Pom-Pom Anemones
- Redfish (Acadian & Deepwater)
- Sea Otter
- Sea Pens
- Sea Strawberry
- Seamounts
- Snow crab
- Sockeye Salmon
- Spiny Dogfish
- Thick-billed Murres
- Thorny Skate
- Tufted Puffin
- Yelloweye Rockfish