Despite the fact that the killer whale is considered to be friendly towards people, cases of killer whale attacks on people are recorded.
1. The killer whale is an aquatic mammal of the dolphin family.
2. The killer whale was given the English name killer whale because of its reputation as a dangerous predator.
3. The killer whale is a large mammal, males grow 9-10 m long and weigh 7.5 tons, and females up to 7 meters and weigh up to 4 tons, males differ in a higher dorsal fin up to 1.5 meters versus 0.75 in females.
4. Killer whale teeth grow up to 13 centimeters – this is comparable to an average kitchen knife.
5. The coloration of the killer whale is very contrasting: the back and sides of the killer whale are black, and the throat is white, on the stomach there is a solid white stripe.
6. In nature, there are completely white killer whales, albinos, and also completely black killer whales – melanists, but this coloration refers to genetic abnormalities.
7. The killer whale is viviparous, pregnancy lasts 16-17 months. Newborn killer whales are 2.5 m long.
8. In her entire life, the female gives birth to no more than 6 cubs and at the age of 40 she stops breeding.
9. Killer whales are social animals, an old killer whale with children of different ages forms a group, the closest sisters also form their own groups. Several groups together form a grouping, which corresponds to its own dialect – a spectrum of sounds that are unique to this grouping.
10. In Kamchatka and the Commander Islands, the meat of killer whales thrown out by the sea is fed to dogs and arctic foxes.