Orca, Arctic Circle

Sleek, striking, and fiercely intelligent, the orca has earned many names over time: killer whale, blackfish, even grampus. Easily recognised by their bold black-and-white colouring and towering dorsal fins, which can reach 6ft (1.8m) in height, orcas cut a distinctive figure in the sea. They can grow up to 30ft (9m) long and weigh as much as 28,000lbs (10,000kg), yet they move with surprising speed and agility. Their streamlined shape and sheer muscle make them the second-fastest marine mammal, behind the dolphin, reaching up to 35mph (56km/h). Despite their bulk, they can launch themselves 15ft (4.5m) into the air. You wouldn’t want to be in the splash zone when they come crashing back down.

Orcas have a global range and can be found in every ocean. Each population exhibits its own unique behaviours, dietary preferences, and even vocalisations. As highly social animals, they live in tight-knit family groups known as pods, often led by a matriarch.

The Latin Orcinus orca is linked to Orcus, the Roman god of the underworld and a symbol of death, referencing their fearsome hunting prowess. The term "orca" was first used by the Ancient Romans, possibly derived from the Greek word oryx, which referred to various whale species. Although commonly called whales, orcas are actually the largest members of the dolphin family.

These animals are the ultimate apex predators of the ocean. They hunt various prey, including fish, seals, sea lions, and even humpback whales and great white sharks. Their hunting methods are highly strategic and coordinated. For example, when targeting sharks, they often hunt in packs, ramming the shark’s sides to stun it before flipping it upside down to induce a paralysed state, causing the shark to drown. When preying on seals resting on ice, orcas generate waves to wash them off into the water. For fish like herring, they herd them into tight balls by circling and blowing bubbles, then slap them with their tails to stun them before picking them off one by one. These complex hunting techniques can involve groups of up to 50 orcas, and new strategies are constantly evolving.

Communication is key to such coordination. Orcas use a variety of clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls to convey complex information during hunts. Much like humans, different orca populations have distinct dialects.

The evolutionary origin of orcas is equally fascinating. Around 50 million years ago, their ancestor—the Pakicetus—was a wolf-sized, land-dwelling mammal that lived near coastal waters and fed on fish. Over time, the Pakicetus adapted to life in the sea, eventually trading its limbs for flippers. Evidence of this transition remains visible today in the orca’s flippers, which contain arm, wrist, and finger bones, and a tiny pelvic bone that hints at hind legs long gone.

New life begins with 15-18 months of gestation. Calves are usually born tail-first, measuring around 8ft (2m) and weighing roughly 400lbs (180kg). They nurse and stick close to their mothers for about two years, often swimming in her slipstream to save energy. This is when learning begins by observing, imitating, and listening. Calves pick up hunting strategies, social cues, and the unique dialect of their pod. In some families, the bond between mother and calf lasts a lifetime.

To witness an orca in the wild, especially as it breaches the surface, is a moment unlike any other that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime. These highly intelligent animals are thankfully listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but pollution, declining prey availability, noise disturbance, and climate change continue to pose serious threats to their long-term survival, and ones we must remain vigilant about to protect them.