Latin: Orcinus orca
English: Killer Whale
Norwegian: Spekkhogger
The largest of all dolphins, the orca is found in all seas, from the equator to the polar ice. It is among one of the most widely distributed animals on Earth.
As top predator in the ocean, the orca's diet extends to several hundreds known species.
Its white eye patch, gray saddle patch, and black back make the orca easy to identify at sea. The underside is entirely white and the flippers are all black.
Photo credit: Camilla Ilmoni
The tall dorsal fin of the male, unique among cetaceans, can be recognized, even at a great distance. In a mature male the dorsal fin can be up to 1.9 meters high. At half of the male's hight, even the female dorsal fin is tall.
The flippers are broad and rounded and more than 1.9 meters long in mature males.
Orca's travel in groups (pods).
Source: Whales, Dolphins & Porpoises; Mark Carwardine, Erich Hoyt, et all.
Listen to the orca's
