Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family.
COMPLETE SPECIES PROFILE
Orca
Orcinus orca
One species, many connections.
Also known as: killer whale, blackfish
WHY IT MATTERS
One species, many connections.
Orcas link prey abundance, food-web structure, underwater sound, contaminants, fisheries, and social knowledge.
- Scientific name
- Orcinus orca
- Animal group
- Vertebrate · Mammalia
- Environment
- Marine
PUBLIC-DOMAIN VISUAL RECORDS
Two additional perspectives
Together with the primary image, these records show behavior and habitat without covering the photographs with labels.
INTERACTIVE TAXONOMY
Interactive classification
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DID YOU KNOW?
Curiosities that reveal how it lives
Different populations use distinct calls and hunting traditions.
Calves learn important behaviors from older group members.
Some populations specialize almost entirely on fish, while others hunt marine mammals.
Where it lives
Oceans worldwide, from polar seas to tropical waters, with populations specialized for different habitats and prey.
How it lives
Diet varies by population and may include fish, squid, seals, and other marine mammals.
Key adaptations
Powerful swimming, echolocation, complex social learning, coordinated hunting, and population-specific cultures.
Its connections
Orcas link prey abundance, food-web structure, underwater sound, contaminants, fisheries, and social knowledge.
Pressures and protection
Prey scarcity, contaminants, vessel disturbance, underwater noise, entanglement, and climate change.