Family Delphinidae (Dolphins)

IDENTIFICATION
The most distinctive characteristic of the Killer Whale is its large triangular dorsal fin that can be up to 1.8 metres tall. The dorsal fin on females and immature animals is less than a metre tall and curved backwards slightly, but it is still taller than the dorsal fin of any other cetacean. The Killer Whale - also known as Orca - is mostly black with a large region of white on the underside extending from the lower jaw to tail, with branches reaching up the flanks behind the dorsal fin. It also has an oval white patch just above and behind the eye, and a light grey saddle marking just behind the dorsal fin. The Killer Whale is the largest species of dolphin. It is heavy-bodied and has large, paddle-shaped flippers. Males can be as long as 9 metres, but most are around 8.2 metres; females are about 6.7 metres long. Newborn calves are about 2.5 metres long and weigh about 180 kg.

MEALS, MANNERS, AND MIGRATION
There are three types of Killer Whales in British Columbia waters: residents, transients and offshore. As their names suggest, residents tend to stay in the same general area in the summer and fall, while transients travel more widely, moving up and down the coast and passing through areas inhabited by different resident pods. Offshore Killer Whales inhabit the open ocean, where they likely feed on sharks and other large fishes. Residents live in large pods of 6 to 50 and prey mostly on fish. Transients form small pods of up to 5 and feed on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and even other whales.

STATUS
Killer Whales are considered vulnerable in British Columbia waters: populations of all kinds are small, their potential growth rates are low and they are subject to many threats because they reside in or travel through coastal waters near human population centres. The southern resident population of Killer Whales is relatively small (around 90) and is subject to more human influences than other populations, so COSEWIC lists it as threatened.

DISTRIBUTION
The Killer Whale occurs in oceans throughout the world, but is most common in cold temperate waters and polar waters. Three groups of pods are found in B.C. waters: residents, transients and offshores. They are distinguished by their diet, vocalizations and social organization. In the summer, residents are often found in Johnstone Strait, in the waters around Victoria and in Puget Sound.