orca
Black-and-white cetacean
An orca is a large black-and-white toothed whale found in oceans worldwide, the largest member of the dolphin family.
Orcas hunt in coordinated groups called pods, preying on fish, seals, and even other whales—hence the alternative name killer whale.
We watched orcas breaching off the coast.
Seed case or cetacean group
- matrilineDescent through mothers
- matriarchFemale family leader
- familyRelated people together
- kinshipState of being related
bonding · cooperation · group · community · resident · transient · offspring · generation
Fish's rear stabilizer
- flukeChance stroke of luck
- blowholeWhale's breathing aperture
- pectoral finFish's chest flipper
- eyepatchSingle-socket covering
teeth · rostrum · melon · tail · streamlined · hydrodynamic · countershading · black and white
Huge sea mammal
- dolphinEcholocating marine mammal
- mammalWarm-blooded, milk-producing animal
- porpoiseSmall toothed whale relative
- baleenWhale's filtering bristles
humpback · beluga · narwhal · sperm whale · pilot whale · marine mammal · breaching · calf
Navigation through reflected sound
- clicksBrief sharp sounds
- whistlesHigh-pitched signal sounds
- callsContacts by telephone
- vocalizationsSounds produced by voice
dialect · sonar · acoustic · signals · repertoire · sound · hearing · frequency
Massive saltwater body
- Pacific NorthwestCoastal American region, northward
- AntarcticSouthern polar region
- NorwayScandinavian coastal kingdom
- PatagoniaSouth America's southern tip
Iceland · coastal · pelagic · temperate · polar · kelp forest · marine · saltwater
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- killer whaleApex ocean predator
- preyAnimal being hunted
- sealAuthentication stamp or mark
- salmonPink-fleshed migratory fish
hunt · ambush · strategy · pursuit · attack · carnivore · fish-eater · herring
Orca liberation tale
- ShamuOrca stage name
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
- First NationsCanada's non-Inuit indigenous peoples
- indigenousOriginating in a region
Haida · conservation · captivity · endangered · mascot · logo · blackfish · documentary
Addressing challenges methodically
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
adaptable · curious · playful · tool use · brain · cognition · awareness · sophisticated
Tusked gray giant
- whale sharkBiggest fish species
- giant squidLargest known invertebrate
- walrusTusked Arctic marine mammal
- polar bearLarge white arctic mammal
sea lion · great white shark · manta ray · leatherback turtle · manatee · dugong · sunfish · hippo
pod
Seed case or cetacean group
kinship · bonding · cooperation · group · community · resident · transient · offspring · generation · grandmother
dorsal fin
Fish's rear stabilizer
- flukeChance stroke of luck
- blowholeWhale's breathing aperture
- pectoral finFish's chest flipper
eyepatch · teeth · rostrum · melon · tail · streamlined · hydrodynamic · countershading · black and white · coloration
whale
Huge sea mammal
- dolphinEcholocating marine mammal
- mammalWarm-blooded, milk-producing animal
- porpoiseSmall toothed whale relative
baleen · humpback · beluga · narwhal · sperm whale · pilot whale · marine mammal · breaching · calf · nursing
echolocation
Navigation through reflected sound
vocalizations · dialect · sonar · acoustic · signals · repertoire · sound · hearing · frequency
ocean
Massive saltwater body
- Pacific NorthwestCoastal American region, northward
- AntarcticSouthern polar region
- NorwayScandinavian coastal kingdom
Patagonia · Iceland · coastal · pelagic · temperate · polar · kelp forest · marine · saltwater · deep water
apex predator
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- killer whaleApex ocean predator
- preyAnimal being hunted
- sealAuthentication stamp or mark
salmon · hunt · ambush · strategy · pursuit · attack · carnivore · fish-eater · herring · stingray
Free Willy
Orca liberation tale
- ShamuOrca stage name
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
- First NationsCanada's non-Inuit indigenous peoples
indigenous · Haida · conservation · captivity · endangered · mascot · logo · blackfish · documentary · marine park
problem-solving
Addressing challenges methodically
strategic · adaptable · curious · playful · tool use · brain · cognition · awareness · sophisticated · clever
elephant
Tusked gray giant
- whale sharkBiggest fish species
- giant squidLargest known invertebrate
- walrusTusked Arctic marine mammal
polar bear · sea lion · great white shark · manta ray · leatherback turtle · manatee · dugong · sunfish · hippo · large
- AlaskaFairbanks, Juneau, Denali, Sitka, Kodiak
- apex predatorsgreat white shark, tiger, lion, killer whale, polar bear
- aquatic predatorsshark, great white shark, great white, tiger shark, bull shark
- California Sea Lifesea otter, sea lion, harbor seal, gray whale, great white shark
- Cetaceanswhale, dolphin, dolphins, porpoise, whales
- marine mammalsdolphin, whales, whale, dolphins, porpoise
orcablue whale
Largest mammal on Earth
humpback whale · right whale · gray whale · fin whale · bowhead whale
Largest predatory fish
bull shark · tiger shark · manatee · dugong · sea cow
- orca whalesLarge black-white marine mammals
- orca podsKiller whale family groups
- orca showTrained cetacean performance