KILLER WHALE

also called Grampus (Orcinus orca), widely distributed whale of the family Delphinidae, found in all seas from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The largest of the oceanic dolphins, it attains a maximum length, in the male, of about 9.5 m (31 feet) and a weight of about 5,000 kg (11,000 pounds). The female is usually much smaller. The killer whale is black, with white on the underparts, above each eye, and on each flank. The snout is blunt, and the jaws are equipped with 40 to 50 large, conical teeth. The flippers are rounded and the dorsal fin is triangular. Fin, flippers, and tail flukes enlarge with age in the male, the dorsal fin eventually forming a tall triangle up to 1.8 m (6 feet) high. The killer whale lives in groups, usually of a few to about 50 individuals. It often swims in formation, either in a line or in rows, and sometimes leaps out of the water. It feeds on fishes, cephalopods, penguins, and such marine mammals as seals, dolphins, and whales. It is well adapted for hunting by virtue of its build, teeth, and strong jaw muscles and its organized behaviour when hunting in packs. It has been kept in captivity and has been trained as an oceanarium performer. There are no recorded instances of killer whales attacking and killing humans.