Table of Contents
How fast do killer whales swim?
35 mphMaximum, Swimming
Orca/Speed
The orca or killer whale, is the second fastest marine mammal, reaching maximum speeds of 56 km/h (34.8 mph).
Do orcas swim faster than dolphins?
Both dolphins and orcas really impress when swimming at full throttle: bottlenose dolphins have been recorded at 54 kmh, with orcas coming in slightly behind at 50 kmh.
Do orcas swim faster than sharks?
When comparing these two apex predators alongside each other, the stats read like a game of Top Trumps. Max length: great white 6.4 metres, orca 9.6 metres; max weight: great white 2,268kg, orca 9,000kg; burst swim speed: great white 45km/h, orca 48km/h. On paper, at least, it does seem that orcas have the edge.
Are orcas faster swimmers?
Killer whales are among the fastest swimming marine mammals. Killer whales can swim at speeds of up to 45 kph (28 mph), but probably only for a few seconds at a time. Killer whales usually cruise at much slower speeds, less than 13 kph (8 mph). They can cruise slowly for long periods of time.
How fast is a blue whale in mph?
The maximum speed of a blue whale while being chased or harassed has been reported at 12–30 miles per hour (20–48 km/h).
How high can a killer whale jump out of the water?
A killer whale, or orca, can jump between 10 and 15 feet out of the water. One of the highest whale jumps caught on film is that of an orca jumping 15 feet while chasing a dolphin.
Why do killer whales jump out of water?
Others state the jump is a form of communication, supported by the tendency of the whales to breach more often during storms and rough seas, when normal vocalizations would be harder to hear. Other explanations include an attempt at attracting a mate or that the whale is playing, merely jumping out of the water for fun.
Are Orcas smarter than dolphins?
The complex and stable vocal and behavioural cultures of orcas appear to have no parallel outside humans – they have the second-heaviest brain amongst marine mammals, second to sperm whales. There’s no doubt about orcas’ intelligence. But orcas are dolphins, and therefore cannot be smarter than their nomenclature.
What food do killer whales eat?
Orcas are apex predators, at the top of the food chain. No other animals (except for humans) hunt orcas. Killer whales feed on sea birds, squid, octopuses, sea turtles, sharks, rays and fish. They also eat most marine mammals, such as seals and dugongs.