Killer Whales

Orca whales are also called killer whales. 

At Sea World there are killer whales in the Shamu show. They jump, swim, roll, slap their tails, make big splashes and eat lots of fish. 

Killer whales eat more than fish. They eat sharks, penguins, sea lions, squid, walrus, sea turtles, seals and other whales. They eat 500 pounds of food every day. 

They have 45 teeth. Their teeth are for ripping and tearing. They do not chew their food. They can swallow small sea lions and seals whole. 

They live in every ocean in the world. Most live in the Arctic and Antarctic oceans. Orcas are mammals. They are black on their back and white on their stomach. 

Males are 19-22 feet long. They weigh 8000-12,000 pounds. They live 50 years. 
Females are 16-19 feet long. They weigh 3000-8000 pounds. They live for 90 years. 
Females usually have babies every 10 years. Babies are called calves. Mothers help their babies swim to get its first breath of air.

The only enemy of killer whales is people.