Killer Whale

Common Name: Killer Whale

Scientific Name: Orcinus orca

Habitat: Killer whales can be found in open ocean, but they're mostly found in coastal waters.

Reproduction: Killer whales give birth to only one baby. Only once was a killer whale recorded to have had twins. They start breeding when they're 14-15 years old. Babies nurse for a year and almost half of all baby killer whales die within the first year

Status: Killer whales are endangered but not close to being extinct.

Interesting Facts: 1) Killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family. 2) They can travel up to 30 miles per hour. 3) The life expectancy for male killer whales is 50-60 years and 90 years for female killer whales.

Major Issues: One is the declining fish populations. Studies show that up to 90% of their diet is salmon. During the last 50 years, hundreds of wild runs of salmon have become extinct due to habitat loss and over-fishing. Toxic substances have accumulated in higher concentrations as they move up the food chain. Since orcas are at the top of several different food chains, they're more effected by this toxic exposure.

Why the killer whale?: I chose the killer whale because I didn't really know a lot about it and wanted to learn more about this interesting creature.