![]() This means they need to remain semi-conscious while sleeping, otherwise they would suffocate and drown. Orcas don’t have an automatic breathing reflex. ![]() (9) Orcas keep one eye open while sleeping This phenomenon is known as vocal plasticity. Orcas that have been kept in captivity with bottle-nosed dolphins have also shown tendencies to adopt the whistling and clicking noises of dolphins. This guarantees safety for a dolphin, as different species of orcas avoid each other. (8) Orcas may befriend dolphins and even imitate themįish-eating orcas have been found swimming alongside dolphins. As echolation bounces off animals and objects and reflects back to the whale emitting the sound, it also helps orcas to sense the movement of prey. Every orca pod has a distinct echolation dialect, varying in duration, pitch and pulse pattern. Through clicks, pulses and whistles, orcas can coordinate their families or “pods”. (7) Orcas communicate with each other through clicking soundsĮcholation is the term given to the high-frequency sound waves orcas produce. Their saddle patch, a white mark located near the dorsal fin, is also custom-made for each orca through shape, size, colour and scarring. The dorsal fin of an orca (the fin on its back) is made individual through shape, size, distinctive nicks and scars. ![]() Orcas might look all the same to you but they have unique markings and dorsal fin shapes. Holding an orca in captivity may shorten its life by 25 years or more. In the wild, left to their devices, orcas can live to the healthy old age of 80. The average lifespan of an orca is 50 years. A recent study found that males were eight times more likely to die in the year following their mother’s death. Orcas are also very social animals and most will spend their whole life in a family group led by an older female. Females can weigh as much as 5000kg while males can top 9000kg! (4) They’re family-oriented creatures Some orcas have been known to eat as much as 200kg of food a day. Orcas eat just about everything – whales, seabirds, sharks, turtles, fish, squid and even dolphins. (3) Orcas eat a wide variety of food and a lot of it!
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