Orca (Killer) Whale (USFWS)

Special thanks to Laurie, Anja and Rachel of Mrs. Henderson's 2nd Grade Class in British Columbia for preparing this information about Killer Whales. "Port Alice, B.C. is situated on an inlet, not open ocean," explains Mrs. Henderson. "We certainly don't see Orcas everyday, but once in a while they will follow a school of fish up the inlet. Last year we had a pod of dolphins swim in and the year before that a pod of whales. We can see the water from the school, but we usually go outside or walk down towards the water if we know the whales or dolphins have been spotted. It is infrequent enough to make it a very exciting event for us."

"Orcas live in the north Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the cold Antarctic seas. They like colder water. They do not really migrate like other whales. They follow food. They sometimes swim past Port Alice. It is exciting when they show up.

"Killer Whales (orca) are toothed whales. They are called Killer Whales because their powerful mouth can eat other animals. They eat porpoises, seals, walruses, salmon, and other kinds of small fish. They eat one fish at a time and swallow them whole. Sometimes Killer Whales will attack newborn whales or whales bigger than themselves. They eat nearly a ton of food a day.

"Orcas live and hunt in pods or family groups. When they are hunting and find a school of fish they make a clicking sound like a squeaky door. Orcas can send out sounds strong enough to stun fish.

"Killer Whales have the longest dorsal fin of all whales. It helps them keep steady in the water. They are good divers. When they go under the water they close their blow hole, when they surface they open their blow hole.

"Orcas are black and white mammals. They can weigh up to 10 tons and grow to about nine meters (30 feet) long.

"Orcas should be free because they are harmless, wonderful and beautiful animals. We can learn about their lives in the wild. We can watch them and how they live."

Sea View School
ghenders@cln.etc.bc.ca
Port Alice, British Columbia
Box 260
V0N 2N0 CANADA
(50.30 N, 126.40 W)