Killer Whale Research Paper
The killer whale (scientifically known as orcinus orca) is a large marine mammal that is part of the toothed whale (odontoceti) suborder.Killer whales are one of the most well-recognized animals in the world and are easily spotted by their large size and distinct black and white color pattern.Killer whales are at the top of the of the food chain even above Great White Sharks and they have no known predator.At full maturity the male killer whale will usually grow to an average length of 20 – 26 ft. long and weigh an average of 8,000 lbs. – 12,000 lbs. while an adult female killer whale will grow to an average length of 16 – 23 ft. long and weigh between 3,000 lbs. – 6,000 lbs.The largest recorded killer whale measured in at 32 feet and weighed
over 10 tons.In order to capture their food the killer whale has a powerful jaw with teeth that are able to tear apart the flesh of their prey and withstand the jolting, wiggling and hurtling movements of prey that are trying to escape.In order to maintain their energy killer whales will feast on small aquatic life forms such as fish, squid and octopus as well as larger marine animals such as sea lions, seals, marine birds, penguins, whales, dolphins and even sharks.In order to obtain their meals killer whales can often be observed hunting in groups.While hunting for food these marine mammals the killer whales will base their strategies on the prey they are hunting and use different methods to capture different prey.Although killer whales are often found living in cold ocean waters they can be found in all of the worlds major oceans from the Arctic and Antarctic waters to various tropical regions located in and around the equator, however as a species they appear to prefer living in higher latitude environments.The location of these marine mammals is often determined by the habitat and range of their food; and the type of food killer whales consume is often dependent on the killer whales location and which foods inhibit the local area.For example killer whales that live in areas that have alot of sea-lions, walruses, penguins and seals may consume these animals as the primary source of food while killer whales that thrive in fish, squid and octopus rich environments may consume fish, squid and octopus as their primary food source.
over 10 tons.In order to capture their food the killer whale has a powerful jaw with teeth that are able to tear apart the flesh of their prey and withstand the jolting, wiggling and hurtling movements of prey that are trying to escape.In order to maintain their energy killer whales will feast on small aquatic life forms such as fish, squid and octopus as well as larger marine animals such as sea lions, seals, marine birds, penguins, whales, dolphins and even sharks.In order to obtain their meals killer whales can often be observed hunting in groups.While hunting for food these marine mammals the killer whales will base their strategies on the prey they are hunting and use different methods to capture different prey.Although killer whales are often found living in cold ocean waters they can be found in all of the worlds major oceans from the Arctic and Antarctic waters to various tropical regions located in and around the equator, however as a species they appear to prefer living in higher latitude environments.The location of these marine mammals is often determined by the habitat and range of their food; and the type of food killer whales consume is often dependent on the killer whales location and which foods inhibit the local area.For example killer whales that live in areas that have alot of sea-lions, walruses, penguins and seals may consume these animals as the primary source of food while killer whales that thrive in fish, squid and octopus rich environments may consume fish, squid and octopus as their primary food source.