All About Orcas

A short nonfiction story for children about a misunderstood species that calls the Pacific Northwest home.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Orca?

You might know these marine mammals by their more frightful nickname, the killer whale. Some people even call them the wolves of the sea.

When an animal is an apex predator – in other words, is at the top of the food chain – it can sometimes get a bad reputation. Let’s take a closer look and uncover the truth behind this fearsome stereotype.

First of all, orcas are not whales; they’re actually the largest members of the dolphin family. Without their iconic black and white markings, they would actually look a lot like the dolphins we’re used to seeing.

So, why are they called killer whales if they’re not whales? A long time ago, sailors noticed orcas teaming up to hunt large whales and gave them the nickname ‘whale killers.’ ¹ Over time the name got flipped around to killer whales. But orcas aren’t necessarily out to get humans, and they’re not villains for feasting on whales, either. Orcas must feed themselves just like any other animal. This is especially true for mother orcas who need to stay strong to care for their babies, called calves. Orca calves, like all mammals, nurse on their mothers’ milk.

What makes orcas such skilled hunters?

A big part of their success is because they practice teamwork. Orcas live in groups of 10 to 20 called pods, and they work together to catch their food. Different pods have different hunting tactics depending on where they live. Some orcas in the Arctic knock seals off of floating ice by making waves with their powerful tails.² Others in warmer waters often work together to herd schools of fish into tight balls, making it easier to grab a bite.³

And here’s the most fascinating part: orcas are super smart! Scientists say orcas are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet.

In fact, orca researcher Deborah Giles has said that the parts of an orca’s brain that are in charge of understanding memories and emotions are actually more developed than our own brains.⁴ You read that correctly: Orcas have more complex memories and emotions than you or me, and they care deeply for their friends and families. Weird to think about, right?

They can learn new skills, solve puzzles and even communicate with each other using clicks, whistles and squeaks. Each pod communicates using a set of sounds that only its members understand.³

So, are orcas truly the villains their name makes them out to be? Not really. But they are certainly powerful, cunning, and full of surprises.

Discussion questions
1) Now that you know more about how smart orcas are, how does it make you feel to know that some orcas live their lives in captivity? Orcas like the ones you see at SeaWorld were once captured from their pods in the wild. Wild orcas have never directly tried to harm humans, but captive orcas have. Why do you think that might be?

2) In this story, we learned that orcas achieve amazing things through teamwork that they would not be able to achieve all on their own. Can you think of a time that you accomplished something with the help of your friends, family or even teammates? How did you all work together to make it happen?

3) This story described the orca as an apex predator – in other words, an animal at the top of the food chain with no predators of its own. Can you think of any other apex predators that might be misunderstood likes orcas have? Or predators that have been given a scary nickname, like killer whale?

Sources
1: “Facts about Orcas (Killer Whales).” Whale Dolphin Conservation USA, https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/facts-about-orcas/#:~:text=Why%20are%20orcas%20called%20%E2%80%99killer,preying%20on%20larger%20whale%20species.

2: “How Orcas Team up and Unleash Brutal ‘wave Attacks’ That Knock Seals off Ice Floes into the Water- Where the Predators Are Waiting....” Discover Wildlife, 28 Oct. 2024, www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/orcas-wave-washing-seals

3: “Orca.” National Wildlife Federation, www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Orca

4: Pare, Sascha. “Orcas Are Learning Terrifying New Behaviors. Are They Getting Smarter?” LiveScience, Purch, 22 Oct. 2023, www.livescience.com/animals/orcas/orcas-are-learning-terrifying-new-behaviors-are-they-getting-smarter