New research shows that life expectancy could be much longer, possibly as long as 80 years. Killer whales live in pods that usually range from five to 30 members. Pods occasionally come together to form herds that travel and hunt together but eventually split back into their original pods. Males average between 22 and 27 feet in length but have been known to reach 32 feet and tip the scales at 9 tons. The calf will nurse for the first year, although more than half will die before they reach that age.
Man is the only animal known to have hunted orcas.
Killer whales send clicking and buzzing sounds into ocean waters and wait for an echo to identify the location of potential prey. Sound travels five times faster in water than in air, making this an efficient way of finding food. Fish are usually the main course but killer whales include other whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, sea lions, penguins, sea turtles and squid in their diets. They can have enormous appetites. One report of a captured orca showed it had 13 porpoises and 14 seals in its stomach and another seal stuck in its throat.