Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators.
What is the second largest dolphin in the world?
The Pilot Whale can weigh up to 5,000 pounds and be up to 24 feet long being the second largest dolphin only after the Killer whale. They are believed to be the most social of the dolphin species.
Killer whales are part of the dolphin family. There are three main types of killer whales, or ecotypes, in the North Pacific: Resident, Transient, and Offshore. In fact, they are the largest member of the Delphinidae, or dolphin family. Resident killer whales usually eat different varieties of fish, primarily salmon.
Is pilot whale a dolphin?
Pilot whales are in fact one of the largest members of the dolphin family, but they are treated as whales for the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations 1992 . They were named pilot whales because it was thought that each pod followed a 'pilot' in the group.
What is the largest dolphin on Earth?
Orca
What is the largest dolphin in the dolphin family?
killer whales
Is an orca a porpoise?
Orcas are classified in the Delphinidae family of dolphins and porpoises. All delphinids belong to the Cetacean order within the toothed whale (Odontoceti) suborder. This means that all dolphins technically are whales; however, the term "whale" is usually reserved for baleen whales of the Mysticeti suborder.
Why are orcas called killer whales if they are dolphins?
Ten facts about orcas (killer whales) Orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family. They were give the name "killer whale" by ancient sailors who saw them preying on large whales. Orcas are still hunted in some countries, such as Greenland. Different kinds of orcas are called "ecotypes".