Length and Weight- Males 19-22 feet, 8,000-12,000 poundsLifespan- 50-90 years Killer Whale: the whale that struck fear into the hearts of early explorers and worshiped by the natives. Killer Whales are not whales at all, they are actually the largest member of the dolphin family.
Orcinus orca was derived from the latin word Orcus meaning god of the underworld. The Haida people called them Skana or Killing Demon. The Japanese call them Shachi.
Killer Whale was first described by early Spanish sailors after they observed a Transient pod (mammal eaters) attacking another whale. They called this black and white demon "whale killer" which was later switched to Killer Whale. In the 1960's the term Orca was gaining popularity after the first captures. We were learning they are not ruthless killers that will eat anything in sight.
Here in Washington we have three different populations of Orca, Residents, Transients, and Offshores. The populations ranges overlap each other but they never socialize together. Residents live in large pods (20 or more members) have open saddle patches, rounded and often hooked dorsal fins and are smaller then Transients. Residents return to the same waters year after year to eat salmon. This population has been seen playing with porpoises but they have never been observed eating them. Residents have a close knit family and stay together until they die. Mothers are seen traveling with her adult sons and daughters and the offspring. Sometimes 3 generations are together.
Transient Killer Whales travel in small pods 5-10, their pod structure is more fluid, adult males will usually leave the pod and travel by themselves. Transients rarely return to the same waters year after year and sometimes pods will not be seen for 10 years or more. Transients eat nothing but mammals. They have been observed attacking a full grown Blue Whale which is the largest animal on earth. The prey mostly on seals and sea lions. They are often times larger then Residents, with closed white saddle patches and a triangular pointed dorsal fin. Transients often have a lot of scars because of hunting their prey.
Offshore Killer Whales are rarely observed. Researchers do not know their migration pattern or feeding habits. They appear to look like Resident Whales.
Southern Residents consist of three pods, J, K and L pods. J pod has about 25 members with 3 adult males. K pod has about 21 members with two new 2006 calves with two adult males. L pod has about 48 members with about five adult males. The L12 matriline spends much of its time offshore and away from the rest of L-pod.
In the 1960's and 1970's about 27 whales were captured in the Puget Sound and sent to various marine parks around the world, Only one survives today. Lolita she was captured in Penn Cove Whidbey Island, Washington on August 11, 1970. She was bought by the Miami Seaquarium in Florida where she is housed in a pool too small and broken. There is a push to release her into the polluted waters of the Puget Sound.
In 2005 the Southern Residents were put on the Endangered Species List. Right now its too soon to see how this will affect the waters they live in and the whale watching industry.
