Did you know ?
Orcas are martriachal . There is a female martriach in every pod who calls the shots and passes down knowledge to her pod. Knowledge about hunting and navigating is passed down from the matriarch to the younger orcas. A female orca is responsible for finding food as well as planning their migration route.
Orcas are matrilineal . Male orcas stay with their mothers throughout their lives, while females leave once they have a male partner. Pretty much mommy's boys, the males are. The males leave to find a girlfriend / female partner, and bring them back to their mummies. However, orcas do not mate for life. They are known to have several partners throughout their lifetime.
Orcas are social creatures.
Another interesting fact; even though they are called " killer whales", orcas belong to the dolphin family.
Male orcas are bigger than females and have a tall , upright, dorsal fin, measuring up to 6 feet. However, they have a shorter lifespan compared to their female counterpart. Females live up to 80 years !
