are killer whales endangered
Killer whales can live as long as 90 years. Like all cetaceans, this species depends heavily on underwater sound for feeding and communication, using clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls. They are very social, and many orcas live with their mothers for their entire lives. The official population for the killer whale is currently unknown, but it is believed that less than 50,000 individuals remain. The population has declined mainly due to water pollution and lack of food supply due to over fishing by humans and whaling. Killer whales are the most widely distributed of the cetacean species in the world, and probably the most widely distributed mammal species as well. They can be found from the polar regions to the equator, but they mainly prefer cold, coastal waters. Killer Whales Endangered. Some cetaceans are now facing an uncertain future because their populations have declined to the point that there are only few of them left in the world. The federal government listed a captive orca at a Miami aquarium as an endangered species on Wednesday, though the new designation doesn't mean the killer whale will be released anytime soon. Animal activists have fought for years to free the orca, known as Lolita, from the Miami Seaquarium. Lolita the killer whale, who has lived at the Miami Seaquarium since 1970, came from a population of orcas listed as endangered since 2005. Lolita the killer whale, who has lived at the Miami Seaquarium since 1970, came from a population of orcas listed as endangered since 2005. Photograph by Andrew Innerarity, Reuters/Corbis. Southern Resident DPS (Canada, USA-WA). Also, called the orca, the killer whale is the largest of the dolphins and said to be one of the world's most powerful predators of the sea. They are immediately recognizable by their black tops and white bellies, and they have white patches near the eyes. Endangered Killer Whales. Killer whales are beautiful mammals with a very distinct black and white color pattern. A killer whale is enormous in size, reaching up to 32 feet in length and weighing more than 16,500 pounds. These whales have a long life span of up to 50 to 60 years. The endangered killer whales are different from most whales because they are killers. They consume a diet of harbor seals, sea lions, baleen whales, and other mammals of that size. They attack and kill larger food, which is unique from most whales. NOAA verified through genetic testing and physical characteristics that the whale originated from the population known as the Southern Resident Killer Whales, which spend much of the year in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia. The threats killer whales face could be classified in two groups, natural dangers in their habitat, and those originated by human activities. The first are those that any wild animal frequently experiences, but they usually do not represent great danger to their population unless it is an epidemic.
Yes