Creature Spotlight of the Week- OrcaBY EARTHFIRST The killer
whale which is commonly referred to as the orca is a toothed
whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are
found in all oceans, from the freezing Arctic and Antarctic
regions to tropical seas. Killer whales as a species have a
diverse diet they feed on fish and also marine mammals such as
sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales. Killer whales
are highly social sea mammals that have powerful hunting skills,
which enable them to kill sea creatures that are much larger
than they are. This is partly where their name originated. Many
people believe that orcas should not be held in captivity. In
aquariums, orcas tend to live for about 13 years, compared to
those in the wild who live 40 to 60 years. The IUCN has assessed
the Orca's conservation status and they are not currently listed
as a threatened species, however their numbers have declined
over the years due to a variety of reasons including declining
food stocks, habitat l