Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

Description The Orca also known as the Killer Whale or the scientific name Orcinus orca is really not a whale. It is the largest member of the dolphin family. Killer whales are mostly black white mostly on the bottom of their stomachs or lower surface, but can also be seen on other parts of their bodies. Male whales have straight, tall (up to 6 foot) dorsal or fins, while females have shorter (3 foot) sickle shaped dorsal fins. Killer whales have 46 to 50 cone-shaped teeth that interlock and are used to tear and grasp. The Orca uses spyhopping ( a vertical position using tail to keep it upright) to get a better view of its surroundings Habitat Killer Whales or Orcas live in oceans all over the world. They mostly live in the cold, icy waters approximately 52 degrees, this is cold enough to kill a person. But according to the basic laws of geometry, an Orca has a smaller proportion of heat-dissipating, or heat scattering, skin surface per unit of volume than a smaller body, allowing Orcas inch of fat or blubber