World Orca Day

 

World Orca Day is a celebration of orca that takes place annually on July 14th. It`s goal is to increase awareness and protection for orca and the oceans.

The orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale, is a toothed whale dolphin family. It is recognizable by its distinctive    black-and-white patterned body. Orcas are one of the most powerful predators in the world. They can be found in all of the world’s oceans in a variety of marine environments, from Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas.

Orca males typically range from 6 to 8 metres long and weigh in excess of 6 tonnes. Females are smaller, generally ranging from 5 to 7 m and weighing about 3 to 4 tonnes. Calves at birth weigh about 180 kg and are about 2.4 m long. The skeleton of the orca is typical for an oceanic dolphin, but more robust.

They are sometimes called “wolves of the sea”, because they hunt in groups like wolf packs up to 40 individuals. Orcas hunt varied prey including fish, cephalopods, mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles. Different groups may prey on different animals and use different techniques to catch them. They use echolocation to communicate and hunt. Orcas spend most of their time at shallow depths, but occasionally dive several hundred metres depending on their prey.

Day-to-day orca behaviour generally consists of foraging, travelling, resting and socializing. Spyhopping is a behaviour in which a whale holds its head above water to view its surroundings. Resident orcas swim alongside porpoises and other dolphins. They can be trained in captivity and are often described as intelligent. Orcas imitate others, and seem to deliberately teach skills to their kin. Orcas are protective of their young, and other adolescent females often assist the mother in caring for them. In most of times the young Orca go its own way, once the bond between juvenile and mother weakens but, in some groups, the juvenile stays within it throughout its entire life.

In 2008, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) changed its assessment of the orca’s conservation status from conservation dependent to data deficient, recognizing that one or more orca types may actually be separate, endangered species. Depletion of prey species, pollution, large-scale oil spills, and habitat disturbance caused by noise and conflicts with boats are the most significant worldwide threats which effect on Orcas.