They are always seen from afar. Black 1.5m dorsal fin, "Spit", something like a small sail. A glossy black back and white belly are separated by a clear boundary. They defiantly beautiful. Probably because they do not have anyone to fear. They have no rivals. This is the most deadly sea killers. This - orcas.
The ancient Romans called orcas orcs - demons. Nickname formed the basis of the Latin scientific name - «Orcinus Orca". And yet they are called sea wolves and killer whales, «killer whale». This shows that the orca is terrifying to people, people are afraid of them, and quite in vain. Such an attitude biased, because not recorded a single case of an unprovoked attack of killer whales on people. Even if a random person accidentally falls into the pool with a killer whale. We know surprisingly little about them. What are they, killer whales?
Killer whales - not fish. This is a sea creature, the largest of the dolphins. Their beautiful flowing body reaches ten-lengths. However, only in males, females are slightly smaller - no more than eight meters. On the other dolphins killer whales are distinguished not only size but also their chief ornament - a huge dorsal fin. Speaking above the water surface and a half, and even two meters, it looks like a scythe, cutting the ocean waves. During this fin and killer whales got their Russian name.
They are well armed. Teeths, they have less than sharks, and even less than that of terrestrial animals, but what is teeth! Up to fifteen centimeters long! Teeths thick and strong, little projecting from the gums. Rarely are located at the mouth of the joining of the upper jaw teeth fall exactly into the space between the bottom teeth. This allows better tear prey into pieces.
Killer whales - excellent swimmers. Honestly, they are - champions among marine animals (fish do not count). Special measurements have shown that orcas can reach speeds of up to 55.5 kilometers per hour. They are good dive and remain submerged for long periods, go to surface not more than five minutes on the surface to make a dozen short breaths.
Their patrimony - virtually the entire World Ocean. Killer whales can be seen far in the open sea and the coast. Sometimes they go into the bay and ascend the rivers. Visit and the Mediterranean Sea, are just off the coast of the Black Sea does not appear. They have nothing to eat, unless visitors. But, what never can tell, maybe look there and wait.
Killer whales - animals with a developed social structure. The basis of their society - the family. And at the head of the family reigns ... No, not male and female. Queen Suite - it is the offspring of different sexes. Families are small, but several families in distantly related, are in a single flock of up to fifty individuals.
Like all dolphins, orcas are actively exchanged between sound signals. Each family their own special "dialect" in which killer whales communicate with each other, and which is incomprehensible to other families, but there are common to all flocks signals. Thanks to them orcas communicate, when several families are united in superstayu for joint hunting or weddings. It is noteworthy that except for people just dolphins, which include killer whales, are able to invent new words and pass them by inheritance.
Language orcas are very diverse. You can count more than forty major signals, the combination of which allows a good understanding of each other. The timbre of their voices like a human. Aquatic environment carries sounds better than air, so the interaction of killer whales sometimes occurs at a distance of several miles apart. And orca love music.
Like dolphins, orcas use sonic and ultrasonic signals to sonar, skillfully Determining the value of objects, their speed and distance to them.
Killer whales are tender and caring parents. In the late summer or early fall, they conceive children, and nurture them 16-17 months. "Babies" are born up to two and a half meters, and for the year grow another meter. Before you let kids in free swimming, they educate and train for two to three years. But even then they usually do not leave the family.
Live orcas as much and people. Age killer whale grandmothers reaches the age of ninety, grandparents live on less, up to sixty.
Sergei Denisevich
http://animaldin.blogspot.com/
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