National Baptist world., 1894-09-28
AN OCEAN FIGHTER,
The Ferocious Orca and It's Method of Sc
curing It's Prey.


The orca is veritable fighter, far
more to be dreaded than the shark. be-
ing most rapaciOus creature, attack
ing everything from whales to man.
They are found in various seas, but in
the Pacific attain their greatest size
and ferocity, if the reports of whalers
and others can be credited.
The ra apacity of the orca is past be-
lief and it's ferocity can only be com
| pared to that of a bulldog, as it will
repeatedly attack large animals, and
! even risk it's own life in the attain
ment of it's desires.
Some years ago some sealers and sea-
elephant hunters were in camp on some
of the coast islands of California. Their
method was to row around the island
! in the morning and shoot the seals.
! One morning, in making their tour,
! they saw an enormous fish, as they sup
! posed, leap clear of the water and seize
a seal that was hanging over the edge
! of the rocks In another moment an
other dashed out, showing itself an
orca of at least twenty-five feet in
length. The tide was low, and the
enormous creature soft bed to lie on,
and it foundered about in mighty
struggles, finally making it's way back
into the water.
Soon another orca made a similar
leap; and it was evident that these car
nivorous whales were circling the rocky
shore in search of seals, which thev at
tempted to pick off the rocks as hawk
would a sparrow.
When hungry and crazed by their
chase they will attack anything; but
their legitimate prey appears to be the
great WhalebOne whale-an ungainlv
and cumbersome animal four times it's
size. These whales, while they are
large and powerful enough to throw a
large boat into the air by toss of the
tail, are in other ways entirely defense
less, the great mouth being de-
void of teeth. This helpless giant
is attacked by dozen of these
wolves of the sea, and then be-
gins a battle of giants. At their
first appearance the whale generally
sounds, hoping in this way to avoid it's
tormentors, the big animal at times
diving almost a mile perpendicularly,
and, if wounded, often striking the
bottom with such force that they are
seriously injured.
The willy Orcas do not attempt to fol-
low, knowing that the whale must re-
turn to the surface, when their attacks
are renewed. Three or four of the ami
mails will rush at the whale at a time.
attaching the vulnerable parts, as the
lips, and with their sharp teeth doing
great damage The whale has no de-
fense, except its tail, and this mighty
organ is whirled about like a sledge-
hammer with force that would stave
the largest ship: but the orcas cleverlv
avoid it.
The crew of whaler once observed |
whale leap entirely clear of the water, |
rising ten or fifteen feet above it, and |
clinging to its sides were several orcas. |
The whale fell with crash that sound |
ed like thunder, then thrashed about, |
beating the water into foam in vain |
efforts to rid itself of it's terrible foes |
who clung to it and undoubtedly sue
ceeded in the end in killing it,
The Orcas will often attack the young
of whales when terrific fights occur,
the parent being reused to the greatest
frenzy. The mother endeavors to place
the young whale, which is perhaps as
large as the Orcas. in front of her. lust
below the mouth, and encourages it to
remain in this position, swimming
off as rapidly as possible; but the
orcas are as cunning as wolves.
Several will now attack the mother
from behind and upon the side, while
others, after the fashion of the
privateer, rush in and endeavor to cut
the baby, which, demoralized at the
confusion, swims out of reach of it's
mother and is Immediately seized by
the Orcas, the mother whale charging
the cannibals with savage but vain
rushes.
The ferocity and appetite of the orca
can hardly be realized. One sixteen
feet in length has been known to de-
your thirteen porpoises and fourteen
seals in few hours all these animals
having been found in the stomach of
one captured. They kill and devour
for the mere passion of killing: and,
when charging a school of porpoises,
have been known to devour as many as
possible and then slaughter and MAIN
the rest, driving scores of them high
and dry upon the beach.
In chasing the porpoise, they often
toss them high into the air by rising
up beneath them. when another orca
will leap upward and seize the por-
poise literally in the air and bear it
away.
The largest of the marine mammals
avoid the orca, or the killer, as it is
often called. The sea-lions, whose
powerful jaws make them active enc 1
mics of other animals, fly before them,
and it is said that even the walrus
looks upon the orca with fear. The
Orca rarely attacks the walrus, it's I
enormous tusks and size are evidently
a menace and suggestive of a power I
full enemy. The orca does not entirely {
neglect the walrus, however, often I
preying upon the young, and i
It's many tricks and attempts !
TO catch the infantu are most in I
5eresting. In the water, the young :
valrus, like the hippopotamus, often I
sits on the back of it's mother. and the {
Killer has been known to attack the
parent from behind, while another
dashed out of the water and in the air Y
ma pninp at the voupr