![]() ![]() The seal lying on top of the ice doesn’t stand a chance. Orca breeching, belly: Bspujari, Dreamstime. Eight tonnes of pure power whacks an ice floe floating in cold Arctic waters. ![]() Hughes Photos – Orca breaching, side: Monika Wieland, Shutterstock. Crafty, eh?!Ĭredits – Text adapted from feature by Catherine D. Such cool camouflage means prey like fish, penguins and seals are likely to miss the danger heading their way. On the other hand, the killer whale’s white underside blends with the light streaming down into the sea from the surface, making it hard to spot from below. Animals looking down on this powerful predator from above, such as a seal on an ice floe, might not see it because the whale’s dark back blends with the water below. Their backs are black, and their stomachs are white. Scientists believe the colour pattern of killer whales may help them sneak up on and attack their prey. Instead of chewing their food, they take one big gulp – and believe it or not, these brilliant beasts can swallow small seals and sea lions whole! Bigger prey is ripped into chunks before being eaten. Killer whales have around 45 teeth (each around 7.6 centimeters long), which are shaped for ripping and tearing prey. They chase, bite and wear it down until it becomes weak enough for them to feast on. Sometimes, a pod of whales will join forces to surround a larger animal, such as a blue whale. They will also slap their tails onto the water’s surface, causing a wave to wash prey (such as penguins or sea lions) off ice floes and into the water. Working together as they hunt, groups of killer whales cooperate to herd fish into a compact area so that they’re easier to gobble up. An orca leaps out of the water near a whale-watching boat off Washingtons San Juan Islands. Often referred to as ‘ wolves of the sea’, killer whales live and hunt together in ‘pods’, or family groups, much like a pack of wolves. These mega marine mammals have many hunting techniques, and bumping seals off ice is just one of them. But wherever they are in any of the world’s oceans, average-sized killer whales may eat about 227 kilograms of food a day! Depending on the season and where they are, their diet varies – some eat plenty of fish and squid, others feast mostly on seals and penguins. Killer whales, also called orcas, hunt everything from fish to walruses – seals, sea lions, penguins, squid, sea turtles, sharks and even other kinds of whales are all on their menu. Next to humans and perhaps the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal.Populations have been documented foraging for long periods of time in shallow coastal and inter-tidal flats in just a few meters of water. Ask your parents to check out Nat Geo Kids magazine! (AD) Killer whales inhabit all oceans of the world. ![]()
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