Species guide
Killer whale Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Common name
- Killer whale
- Scientific name
- Orcinus orca
- Taxonomic authority
- (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Family
- Delphinidae
- Suborder
- Odontoceti
Sightings in Madeira
Spring to Summer
ID characteristics
Rounded body, mostly black with a white patch behind each eye and flanks and white undersides, from throat to abdomen
Big conical head and large paddle-shaped flippers
Very tall dorsal fin centrally positioned in body length
Surface behaviour
Acrobactic and active at surface
Sometimes inquisitive and approachable
Often breaches, lobtails, flipper-slaps and spy-hops
Distribution
Worldwide, from parallels 80º North to 80º South
All oceans though most commonly in the polar regions
Social
In groups between 3 to 25 individuals
Diet
Fish, seals and some squid
Biometrics
Max length: 9.8 m
Adult weight: 2.9 to 9 ton
Blow
Bushy shaped and not very tall
IUCN Status: Data deficient
Madeira frequency status: Rare
Other languages common names
ENG - Orca, Great killer whale, Grampus
GER - Schwertwal
FRA - Orque, Épaulard
ESP - Orca, Ballena asesina
SWE - Späckhuggare
DAN - Spækhugger
ITA - Orca
NED - Orka, Zwaardwalvis
NOR - Spekkhoggar, Vagn, Staurkval
POL - Orka, Miecznik
POR - Orca, Baleia assassina