WTF Fun Fact 13438 – Killer Whales are Dolphins

Here’s a bit of trivia that might just turn your marine world upside down: killer whales, also known as orcas, aren’t whales. They’re actually the largest dolphins in the sea! That’s right, Shamu, the poster child for what we envision when we think of whales, is really more Flipper than Moby Dick.

Are orcas whales or dolphins?

Orcas, known for their black bodies, striking white patches, and formidable size, are a sight to behold. However, despite their common name – killer “whale” – these majestic creatures are more closely related to their smaller, playful dolphin cousins.

Now, this might seem like a marine biologist trying to mess with you, but it’s all in the scientific classification. Orcas are part of the oceanic dolphin family, known as Delphinidae, which includes other well-known species like the bottlenose dolphin and the common dolphin. Essentially, all killer whales are dolphins, but not all dolphins are killer whales.

In fact, the orca’s scientific name, Orcinus orca, loosely translates to ‘demon from hell’, a nod to their reputation as fierce hunters. But don’t let the ominous name scare you, these creatures are incredibly intelligent and social.

Orcas, like their dolphin relatives, are known for their intelligence and complex social structures. They live in tight-knit groups known as pods, led by a matriarch, often the oldest female. Within these pods, they communicate using a series of clicks, whistles, and body movements.

What’s fascinating about orcas is that different pods can have different cultures, dialects, hunting techniques, and even dietary preferences. This level of cultural diversity is virtually unheard of outside of human societies, further cementing their place in the pantheon of intelligent life on Earth.

Classifying creatures

However, their classification as dolphins doesn’t make them any less ‘killer’. They are apex predators, the top of the food chain, preying on seals, fish, squid, and even other whales. Their name, ‘killer whale’, is actually a bit of a misnomer. It originates from the term ‘whale killer’, coined by sailors who observed these dolphins attacking larger whales.

Despite being top predators, orcas face a host of challenges in the modern world, ranging from pollution and loss of prey to climate change and captivity. Our understanding of orcas, their behaviors, and their needs, is crucial for their protection.

Perhaps one of the best ways we can appreciate orcas is to realize that they’re not so different from us. They’re intelligent, they’re social, they’re diverse, and they’re vulnerable. They’re dolphins that have adapted to their environment in remarkable ways, rising to the top of the oceanic food chain.

So next time you hear the term “killer whale”, remember, these magnificent creatures are actually the ocean’s largest dolphins. Just another example of how the natural world continues to surprise and inspire us!

 WTF fun facts

Source: “Is an orca (killer whale) a whale or a dolphin?” — WDC

WTF Fun Fact 12973 – Tokitae the Orca May Finally Be Set Free

While many of us have fond childhood memories of seeing whales or dolphins perform at theme parks, adulthood brings the knowledge of what really happens behind the scenes. That’s why so many people celebrated in 2022 when it was announced that Tokitae the Orca may finally be set free after a half-century of performing at a marine park. Her mother is still alive, but Tokitae’s return is still in jeopardy.

Tokitae’s story

The orca was captured while swimming with a group of 80 others in a cove on Whidbey Island off Washington state decades ago. According to The Guardian (cited below): “Using boats, explosives, nets, and sticks, they separated young orca calves from their mothers. Locals were haunted by the whales’ human-like cries, according to an account of the day.”

The captors took 6 baby orcas from their mothers that day and sold them to marine parks. Nearly all died quickly, and only 1 is still alive today – Tokitae (whose stage name is Lolita).

The female orca has spent her whole life performing for audiences at the Miami Seaquarium “the smallest orca enclosure in North America.” In 2017, it was revealed that her tank didn’t even meet federal minimum guidelines for orca captivity. In 2022, she was allowed to “retire.”

Trying to return Tokitae to the wild

The Guardian notes that “there’s a chance she could finally go home. Activists are fighting to return the whale…to the Pacific north-west to live out her final days and possibly reconnect with her family. Her mother, believed to be in her 90s, still swims the waters of the Salish Sea, leading a pod of southern resident killer whales to find salmon.”

While activists, animal lovers, and philanthropists around the world have rallied behind her cause recent health assessments from the group Friends of Lolita, found that she has a chronic infection that requires antibiotics.

Their last update on the whale was on August 31, 2022:

UPDATE on the health of Tokitae, Miami Seaquarium’s sole Southern Resident orca, captive since 1970. Antibiotic therapy continues for treatment of a persistent infection, but, on a good note, she is active and continues to be engaged with staff. These are promising signs, despite her chronic health concerns.

Many who know Tokitae and have visited her at the “Whale Bowl” always remark on her astounding ability to persevere after everything she’s been through. She has a strong will to survive that is not easy to miss. She’s an inspiring, impressive orca.

Find more information at: https://www.friendsoflolita.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/OrcaRescuesFoundation/

Some have argued that Tokitae is too old to be released back into the wild, so only time will tell what her fate will be.  WTF fun facts

Source: “After half a century in captivity, Tokitae the performing orca could finally go home” — The Guardian