| Scientific name: | Orcinus orca |
| Family: | Delphinidae |
| Range: | All oceans, prefers cooler waters |
| Habitat: | Coastal and oceanic waters |
| Status: | Locally common |
| Population: | In excess of 100,000 |
| Diet: | Varied, from fish and squid to marine mammals |
| Length: | 6-9.8m, males larger than females |
| Weight: | 3.3-10 tons |
Identification
Flukes
Slightly concave trailing edges and distinct notch. Upper side is dark and underside pale.
Dorsal Fin
Tall dorsal fin is slightly forward of midline. Triangular in adult males and curved in adult females.
Flippers
Black or dark grey, broad with rounded tips.
Head Shape
Slightly rounded melon and gently tapered snout. Upper head in black with a bold white patch behind each eye. Chin and throat are white.
Body
Black upper body with grey “saddle patch” just behind dorsal fin. Bold white curved patch extends into each flank from the white underside.
Blow
Low and bushy, visible in cool, still air.
Group Size
Usually in family or social groups (pods) of 3-25. Several pods may gather temporarily.
Behaviour
Often inquisitive and playful and may breach, lobtail, flipper-slap and spyhop. Sometimes rolls to slap dorsal fin on the surface. When travelling, a common dive pattern is 4-5 dives of less than 30 seconds each, followed by a longer dive of 5-10 minutes.