SOCIETY
Orca - a largest of dolphins and one of world's most powerful predators
Baku, May 17, AZERTAC
Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators.
They are immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring.
Smart and social, orcas make a wide variety of communicative sounds, and each pod has distinctive noises that its members will recognize even at a distance.
According to the National Geographic, they use echolocation to communicate and hunt, making sounds that travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back, revealing their location, size, and shape.
Though they often frequent cold, coastal waters, orcas can be found from the polar regions to the Equator.
They are at the top of the food chain and have very diverse diets, feasting on fish, penguins, and marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches long.
They are known to grab seals right off the ice. They also eat fish, squid, and seabirds.
In the wild, orcas live in tight-knit family groups that share a sophisticated, unique culture that is passed down through generations, research has shown.
In captivity, however, orcas are kept in artificial social groups. Captive-born orcas are often transferred between facilities, breaking up social relationships.