Barnorama All Fun In The Barn
Orcas are often misunderstood, but these 16 facts show just how powerful and intelligent they are. Whether it’s their complex hunting strategies or their family bonds, orcas are more than just fierce predators—they’re the true rulers of the sea.
Brains and Brawn.
Orcas have massive brains (second only to the Sperm Whale) and can swim 30+mph and are equipped with teeth the size of steak knives. A genius predator that dominates the ocean.
Tactical Wave Makers
Orcas team up to make waves that rock giant slabs of ice back and forth; trying to push seals off and into the open seas. Some even launch themselves onto beaches and ice slabs to get their meal.
Picky Eaters
While Orcas may glide up on beaches and do insane maneuvers for their dinner, they are actually pretty picky. Only eating the tongue, liver, or blubber; leaving most of the catch behind for other sea-dwelling predators.
Shark Assasins
Orcas have developed the ability to paralyze sharks; flipping them upside down and then with surgical precision, take out the sharks livers.
Whale Killers
Orcas and have been documented taking down blue whales by biting out their tongues, blocking blowholes, and drowning them using a coordinated attack from multiple pissed-off, hungry orcas.
Seal Launchers
They’ve been known to smack seals 80-100 feet into the air using their very powerful tails. Some call it practice, others call it fun while not every time this happens the orca ends up eating the Seal.
Captive Killers
All fatal attacks on humans have only ever happened in captivity. Stressed whales in tanks are a different story. You can tell they have been in captivity due to their dorsal fin curling over. This is depression from being caged up.
The film Blackfish focuses on orcas in captivity at Sea World and how they used their genius IQ’s to toy with trainers and express themselves. It’s a dark but fascinating documentary that goes deep into the world of aquatic game and the price everybody pays when these majestic animals are captured.
Zero Human Kills in the Wild
Except for Humans, they are relatively cool with humans out in the wild with no verified cases of wild Orca attacks. They in fact help humans a lot of the time.
Everything’s On the Menu
They may be picky eaters, but they at least try everything at least once. They’ve eaten over 140 species, including rays, turtles, birds, sharks, and even moose. If it moves and is in the water where the Orca can get to it, it’s fair game.
They Can Say “Hello”
An orca name Wikie learned to mimic human words like “Hello” and “Bye-bye”.
On top of that, she also learned to mimic fart noises. Legend.
Pod Culture
Different orca pods have different diets, dialect, and traditions. Much like humans they have specific tastes they get used to and have a hard time changing.
They Use Bait
One orca figured out how to lure seagulls by spitting out fish as bait. Others watched and learned. They’ve also been known to throw half-eaten seals up on land, attracting a hungry scavenger crowd, birds included.
They’ve learned to create their own buffet, essentially
Bullies
They’ve been known to bully small porpoises or dolphins alike. Not for food, but for fun, hunting practice, or their attempt at babysitting.
They’re Attacking Boats
Off the coast of Spain and Portugal, orcas have been documented ramming commercial fishing vessels. They learned to pick each boat out from the size and sound each vessel produces. Once one orca learned, scientists predict they taught the rest.
It has also been documented that orcas do this to show dominance and anger that these vessels are inhumanly killing ocean life.
Orca Grandma’s Run the Show
Female orca’s go through menopause and live decades, helping raise and protect younglings.