The ever-hungry predator has "taken over" all the oceans of the Earth: here are some facts about orcas (with photos).

The ocean covers more than half of the planet's surface and is home to an incredible number of species. Among them are some of the most deadly and intelligent predators on Earth — orcas. Interestingly, whales can be found in literally all of the Earth's oceans: from the warm waters near the equator to the icy depths of the North and South Poles, as reported by Live Science.

Orcas are also among the most widely distributed mammals on the planet. Previous studies have shown that orcas are incredibly social, diverse, and fierce marine predators. Most importantly, their diet is varied — orcas literally eat everything from penguins to great white sharks and whales.

Whale Killers

For centuries, orcas have been referred to as "whale killers," as ancient sailors observed them hunting in groups and being capable of killing even the largest whales. It is known that orcas are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain and no animals, except humans, hunt them.

The diet of orcas is quite diverse: some groups eat only fish, seals, seabirds, and squids, while others can kill whales, including blue whales — the largest animals on Earth, or hunt great white sharks for their valuable livers. By the way, orcas are the only known species that hunt great white sharks.

However, scientists still do not know if orcas kill for fun or merely for food. Previously, researchers observed orcas killing sea pigs and dolphins by tossing them into the air — we still do not know if this behavior is part of their hunting practice or a form of play.

How big are orcas?

Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family. Males are generally larger than females, and the largest recorded orca reached a length of 9.8 meters and weighed 10,000 kilograms.

The body of the orca has a distinctive pointed shape that helps it move quickly and efficiently through the water. This shape, combined with the large size and strength of the orca, makes it one of the fastest marine mammals — orcas can reach speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour, and their massive teeth can grow to an incredible 10 centimeters.

Do orcas hunt humans?

There is no official data indicating that orcas have ever attacked humans in the wild. One of the few documented near-attacks involved an orca attacking a surfer in Norway before fleeing — likely because the animal mistook the surfer for a seal.

At the same time, it is known that in recent years, orcas have been attacking boats in the Strait of Gibraltar. Later, scientists discovered that three young males were behind most of the attacks — most biologists believe they were actually playing with the boats.

It is also known that in captivity, orcas do attack humans: there are at least four documented human fatalities resulting from attacks by these mammals.

Orcas live in pods

Orcas are very social creatures and live in family groups called pods, which typically consist of five to 30 individuals. These pods consist of related mothers and their offspring. Male orcas stay with their mothers for life, while daughters may spend time away. Pods often use their unique calls to communicate, but they can encounter other pods and occasionally merge, forming even larger groups of over 100 orcas.

Female orcas give birth to one calf at a time every three to ten years. Orcas work together to care for the calves. Female orcas live around 50 years, but some have lived up to 100 years. Males live shorter lives, typically dying at around 29 years old, with the oldest male orcas reaching only 60 years.