Orca Whales

Killer whales, or Orcinus Orca, are a type of toothed oceanic dolphins that belong to the Family Delpinidae, a family of cetaceans. They are found in all oceans, from the icy Antarctic and Atlantic regions to the sultry tropical oceans. They are present in a huge range in all oceans but they seem to prefer coastal areas and areas of higher latitudes rather than pelagic environment. Killer whales are apex predators which mean that they are at the top of food chain with no natural predators of their own. They have a varied diet, although they may feed elusively on fish, sharks, squids, sea gulls, turtles, penguins, and sea mammals like seals, sea lions, walruses and even other cetaceans. The whales do not prey on humans but may injure them during handling. Killer whales lead an extremely sociable life. They are matrilineal, a quality not frequently found in sea animals, which means a family group consists of a mother whale, her offspring and most often a third generation. They pass down their particular behaviors and hunting methods to other generations.

A killer whale has a black back with a white chest and white patches above and behind the eye. The body is sturdy with a 6.6 feet long dorsal fin. The whale’s teeth are potent and are covered with hard enamel. The jaws are extremely strong that help in catching a prey in a powerful grasp. Male killer whales are generally larger than female whales; a typical male has a length of 6 to 8 meters and a weight of 6 tonnes while a female is of 5 to 7 meters weighing 4 tonnes. Due to their high strength and robust bodies, killer whales are one of the fastest marine creatures with a great speed of 56 kilometers per hour.

These whales are highly sensitive; they have great eyesight both below and above the water surface, amazing hearing power and their sense of touch is also quite impressive. They have a striking echolocation capacity. They find out certain locations and prey by listening to the echoes and interact by clicking sounds.

They breed during the start of spring to warmer climes. Their gestation period lasts for 16 to 17 months and their average life span ranges from 40 to 60 years. The calves are commonly born during October and May. They calf is about 8 feet long and is capable of swimming alongside the mother whale within half an hour of birth. The calves have a orange to yellow tint in start which alter fades away. The mother whale and midwives nurture the calves until they can take look after themselves.

Orcas have specific behavioral patterns such as breaching, spy holing, tail slapping and other acrobatic moves that allow them in communication, playing, courtship, looking for prey, and expelling of parasites.

Killer Whales in Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Killer Whales migrate to warmer, temperate water of Pacific Coast of Costa Rica in abundance. Southeastern side of Isle de Coco, Drake Bay, Gulf of Papagayo and parks like Ballena National Marine Park, Cabo Blanco marine Rerserve and Cahuito National Park are hotspots for watching killer whales that will be breaching and singing. Osa Peninsula is flourishing with numerous cetaceans including killer whales. On the southern portion of Pacific Coast, a shelf like oceanic area called The Dome is profuse with orca whales. Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste and Puntarenas have plentiful of dive sites allowing the divers to watch a pack of whales and hundreds of other sea animals. Tambor Bay, Cabuya Island and Tortuga Island offer a lot of snorkel spots and dive sites. The water is clear and warm and a diverse range of sea creatures are visible including killer whales!

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale
http://www.costaricajourneys.com/orca/
Great Whales of Cocos Island