Orca whales - also known as “Killer Whales” or Orcinus Orca, are one of the world’s most powerful predators. They are often found in cold, coastal waters but can be found from polar regions all the way to the equator. Orcas are known to feast on many marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and other whales. They also eat fish, squid, and sea birds. A notable part of the Orca’s lifestyle is their hunting technique - in which they hunt in deadly groups of 5 to 50 whales, called “pods.” There are three subgroups of orcas; residents, transients, and offshore orcas. We will focus our attention on Residents and Transients, as they have the most research conducted on them. A resident pod can include from 5 to 50 Orcas. A transient pod usually consists of 1- 6 Orcas. The difference in pod sizes is likely to due to the subgroups’ feeding habits. Resident pods typically feed on fish, specifically salmon. Resident orcas herd schools of fish to get their food, and this method is most effective with a large number of orcas. Transient orcas prey mainly on marine mammals. This can be a time-consuming, demanding process as the orcas must cooperate to sneak attack their prey. Hence why their pods are smaller in size.
The act of cooperative hunting is a distinct and unique process in which many factors come into play. Transients are generally more quiet when communicating. This may be due to the fact that they are hunting marine mammals, and must approach them quietly to avoid being detected. Transients use echolocation - but only in single clicks. Transient pods in the same region, communicate with simple language and do not vary in dialects. Resident Orcas are typically more vocal, relying heavily on echolocation to find their prey. Because their main food source, salmon, does not have good hearing, they do not have to worry about being quiet. Each Resident pod has their own set of complex calls.
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