The Killer Whale belongs to the dolphin family and is a mammal. The Killer Whale, better known as Orcus Orca, has high distinctive cries, like screams, clicks and whistles. Unfortunately it is an endangered species due to illegal whaling and pollution.
The Killer Whale is usually between 8-7m in length, they weigh around 5,443kg and have teeth that are 10cm long. The male Killer Whales are larger than the females and are usually 1m longer in length. All Killer Whales are black and white in colour. Their skin is smooth and can camouflage them from predators in the water.
The Killer Whale inhabits seas world-wide. They usually live in Antarctica, in the Polar Regions to the equator. They swim in groups, called pods, usually consisting of 30-70 Killer Whales.
Killer Whales eat a variety of animals, using their complex hunting strategies. The animals that they eat are seals, sea lions, fish, other whales, cod, squid, seabird, penguins, krill, algae, small animals and walruses.
A Killer Whale can move by using its pectoral fins. They can swim 30mph (48km) and use this speed as an advantage to catch prey. They have seasonal movement called migration, which means they move to a different area to stay warm.
Killer Whales reach sexual maturity when they are at 15 years of age. Female Killer Whales are pregnant with their young for 15-18 months. After this time they are ready to give birth. It takes 3-10 for a female Killer Whale to give birth. When the baby is born it weighs 180kg and is approximately 2.4m in length. Female Killer Whales have young until they are 40 and can live up to 80-90 years, whilst males only live from 50-60 years.
Killer Whales are at the top of the food chain and are only hunted by humans. They are hunted for scientific research and their rich oil. Over hunting is one of the causes of extinction to animals across the globe. This is why animals are becoming endangered. We must protect the Killer Whales for the survival of the species and the food chain of Antarctica.
The Killer Whale is an important creature for the food chain of Antarctica. If humans keep hunting them there will be nothing left to preserve for future generations. The delicate food web of Antarctica relies on every animal. If one of these animals is made to extinction the other animals can’t survive.