Killer Whales and 5 Incredible Facts About Them

However, there are still many things about this animal that we have never known. Here are 5 surprising facts about killer whales.

1. Orca Is Not a Whale

Although they are called 'killer whales', they are actually not whales but dolphins. Even so, orca still possesses body size equivalent to whales. This is considered the largest dolphin species in the world.

2. Orca Evolved Based on Population Culture

In a recently conducted study, biologists analyzed the genetic structure of many different orca species and found that the differences in gene codes coincided with differences in species culture of them.

Specifically, the team looked at the genomes of two killer whale cultures in the Pacific Ocean and three other cultures of Antarctic populations. All 5 genomes show great differences and can be classified into 5 different groups, this happens to coincide perfectly with the cultural differences between the Orca populations.

In addition, it is not easy for Orca groups from different cultures to integrate. They hunt different prey, have different hunting techniques, and even possess different language to communicate. As a result, killer whales from different cultures rarely mate and breed with each other, eventually leading to the distinct genomes.

3. Orca Which Has to Go Through Menopause

For nearly all animals on the planet, females can often maintain fertility until they die of aging. Only five species - orca, humans, short-fin whales, unicorns and belugas - will stop breeding at a specific time in their lives, although they will continue to live for decades.

4. Orca Has a Tight Social Organization

Killer whales are one of the few species with extremely tight social organization. They are divided into groups (families), clans, and communities. The main difference between Orca communities lies primarily in the language. 1 community may consist of several clans or families. The whole community will communicate in one language, but each family sometimes has its own 'voice style'. Like Vietnamese speakers can have a Northern, Central, or Southern accent.

5. Orca Is the Planet's Most Popular Mammal, Alongside Humans

Killer whales are present in every expensive ocean on the left, from the Arctic to Antarctica, from the icy waters in the north and south to the warm waters along the equator, including around the Hawaiian Islands., Galapagos and the Gulf of California. They are sometimes even found in freshwater rivers.

Thanks to its enormous size being the superior intelligence, killer whales have almost no natural enemies. That's why they became the world's most abundant mammals after humans.