Killer whales correspond to the species Orcinus orca and are marine mammals that belong to the group of cetaceans. They are commonly known as toothed whales and also as killer whales, however, they are not really in the group of whales but of dolphins, and their qualification as killers may be related to the fact that they are extremely successful hunters, who capture their prey in groups and can even hunt whales much larger than them or the fearsome white shark.
Now then, where are the killer whales? In this article on our site we will explain their distribution so that you know where killer whales live, don't miss it!
Orca distribution
If we had to indicate on a map the oceans where killer whales are distributed, we would have to mark them all, since they are the cetaceans with the greatest global distributionTheir range is so wide that they have been considered, after humans, the most far-reaching mammals on the planet.
In this sense, orcas can be found both in the north in the Arctic Ocean and in the south in the Antarctic Although they have preference for cooler temperatures, where in fact there are slightly higher population densities, they can develop without problems in tropical waters and also in semi-enclosed seas, such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
Apparently, these marine mammals do not migrate based on changes in temperature, but they do when food is scarce, so moving to more productive places. On the other hand, it is estimated that they tend to have less presence both in the Gulf Stream and in the Kuroshio Current, which are warm, while in the eastern border currents that are more productive, such as the California Current, they are more present, as well as in the cold waters of the Oyashio and Malvinas currents.
Orca habitat
In general, the habitat of killer whales is made up of the marine environment, since they are animals that live exclusively in the water As we have mentioned are distributed throughout all the world's oceans, so they come to be in different conditions depending on the area.
These cetaceans do not have a unique pattern in terms of the habitat in which they develop. In this sense, they may have preferences for being between 20 and 60 meters deep, however, they are also located in shallow waters near the coast, while in other cases they dive up to 300 meters.
Scientists have recognized that there is enough information to establish different subspecies of killer whales and even some species. However, in the last study of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) carried out in 2017 on these mammals, the taxonomic aspects had not been fully defined and only one species and two subspecies remained without scientific names., but were referred to as the Northeast Pacific resident killer whale and the Northeast Pacific transient killer whale.
However, it is already known that there are morphological and genetic differences between groups of killer whales, but different ecological characteristics have also been identified, and this may be the reason why there is not a single pattern in terms of to the habitat. In this sense, killer whales can make long migratory voyages of thousands of kilometers or remain associated with certain particular areas. Thus, some, for example, tend to enter the ice sheet systems in Antarctica to hunt, while others seek their food in open water. Discover in this other article What do killer whales eat if you are interested in learning more about how and what they hunt.
Are orcas in captivity happy?
After knowing where orcas live, you may have noticed that we have not mentioned the parks where they are usually found in captivity. Keeping killer whales in captivity has been a topic of heated debate for decades because it has always been questioned whether these animals had a he althy state living confined to pools. However, with the advancement of science and the intervention of more and more people to address these issues, today we are sure that orcas in captivity are not happy, as no wild-type animal is. Proof of this is the position of its dorsal fin, as we discussed in this post: "Why do orcas in captivity have their dorsal fin bent?"
Killer whales are animals that have a series of anatomical, physiological and social characteristics adapted to live freely in the oceans. When this is interrupted, the animal is condemned to a life of suffering and unhappiness, because we must remember that cetaceans are highly sociable animals, of which studies are even carried out referred to their intelligence, so they are aware of themselves and captivity affects them totally. In this sense, there is enough evidence that indicates how inappropriate it is to have these animals in parks and zoos for entertainment purposes, since these generate terrible stress and damage to your he alth. On the one hand, the more than 100 reported cases of orca attacks on their keepers, some even with fatal results for these people, on the other hand, the stories of former orca hunters who have recounted the stress and moans of these animals, both from those captured as their relatives while the terrible event occurs.
In addition, it is known that between 1977 and 2019, around 70 killer whales were born in captivity worldwide and none of them managed to exceed 30 years, while in a state wild can live between 50 and 80 years Only some orcas captured and kept in this state of slavery have managed to live more than 30 years.
Currently there are various movements and groups active in defense of killer whales. In countries such as the United States and Canada, where it had been a tradition to capture these mammals to display them in parks, significant pressure has been generated to modify these actions, including from the legislative aspect. However, there are still several of these captive animals, and they can no longer be returned to the sea, so options such as marine sanctuaries should be sought so that they live the rest of their lives in the best possible way.
Once again, from our site we want to encourage our readers to support different groups and official institutions that work for killer whales and other wild animals. There are many ways to collaborate, from not paying to enter shows that exhibit these animals to making financial contributions directly to these institutions and disseminating information on these issues.
