The killer whale, or orca, is the largest member of the dolphin family. They have distinctive black and white coloring and large fins and tails. Males can reach over 20 feet long and weigh up to 12,000 pounds, while females are typically smaller. Killer whales hunt in packs and pass behaviors and accents down to their offspring. They have rarely attacked humans in the wild, with most incidents occurring among captive whales, such as the male orca Tilikum who has fathered 21 calves but also been involved in three human deaths.

1. The Killer Whale
● The Killer Whale or Orca.
● Largest Dolphin on Earth, not a whale

2. Physical Appearance
● Black backs and tails, white underbelly and
sides along with white spots behind the
eyes.
● Large fins and flat tail. Eyes are miniscule.
● Males are 20-26ft, 8,000-12,000 lbs
● Females are 16-23ft, 3,000-6,000 lbs
● Largest recorded Orca Whale is 32ft,
20,000 lbs.

3. Human Attacks
● Unusually few recorded instances.
● Tilikum, 32 years old, born 1981, 3
incidents, has 21 offspring, 11 alive.
Average: 2 children every 3 years. Still
preforms at SeaWorld as of Spring, 2012.
● Only captive Orcas have killed humans.
● There are even fewer instances when wild
orcas have attempted to do harm to
humans.

4. Miscellaneous Facts
● Killer Whales hunt in packs
● Killer Whales pass accents down through
their offspring.
● Killer Whales eat seabirds, whales,
dolphins, polar bears, seals, reptiles,
sharks and moose.
● Orcas are generally friendly creatures.
● Female Orcas gestate their young for 15-
18 months