Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The primary diet of transient orcas includes harbor seals, Steller sea lions, harbor porpoises, Dall's porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and Minke whales. Among these, the harbor seal is the most common prey; one survey estimated that more than half of the diet of transients in the Salish Sea region consists of harbor seals. [ 16 ]
Although resident orcas have never been observed to eat other marine mammals, they occasionally harass and kill porpoises and seals for no apparent reason. [106] Some dolphins recognize resident orcas as harmless and remain in the same area. [107] Orcas do consume seabirds but are more likely to kill and leave them uneaten.
Although resident orcas are often in the vicinity of seals and porpoises, which are eaten by transient (Bigg's) orcas, they typically ignore them. Even when on rare occasions they attack them, they do not eat them—the attacks are harassment or sport.
Orca vs. whale shark. The researchers’ analysis revealed exactly how the killer whales, often hunting as a group, subdue the whale shark. First, the orcas use their bodies to hit a whale shark ...
Type 1 orcas consist of seven haplotypes and include herring-eating orcas of Norway and Iceland and mackerel-eating orcas of the North Sea, [36] as well as seal-eating orcas off Norway. [ 4 ] [ 37 ] Type 2 orcas consist of two haplotypes, [ 36 ] and mainly feed on baleen whales .
The skull of the leopard seal. The leopard seal has a distinctively long and muscular body shape when compared to other seals. The overall length of adults is 2.4–3.5 m (7.9–11.5 ft) and their weight is in the range 200 to 600 kilograms (440 to 1,320 lb), making them the same length as the northern walrus but usually less than half the weight.
The killer whales regularly demonstrate their competence by chasing seals up shelving gravel beaches, up to the edge of the water. The pursuing whales are occasionally partially thrust out of the sea by a combination of their own impetus and retreating water, and have to wait for the next wave to re-float them and carry them back to sea.
Get AOL Mail for FREE! Manage your email like never before with travel, photo & document views. Personalize your inbox with themes & tabs. You've Got Mail!