Orca: Wolves of the sea

The orca is an apex predator in the oceans around the world. They live in large families called pods and calves often grow up staying with their whole family for their whole lives. The young adult females raise the next generation of orcas and the males go off to mate but always return to their moms and extended family.

Orcas live in all oceans of the world and are intelligent animals. They are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are super intelligent.

They experience emotions as humans do and in the wild have been known to mourn their deceased pod members as shown in the famous case of J35 a female orca who held on to her stillborn calf for 17 days.

female orcas can weigh up to 3,000-6,000 lbs and male orcas can weigh up to 8,800 lbs. Different orca subtypes eat different things. Some eat seals, sharks, and other dolphins, while others eat Salmon.

The southern resident orcas eat salmon. Which they have to be able to share with other pod members if they find a large enough catch.

Unfortunately, there are damns built up that keep the salmon from heading to where they were born before heading out to sea.

This means the Southern Residents' pods are unable to get the food sources to feed themselves and their pod members.

If the dams are removed this means the orcas will have more of the food. That's needed to survive and to feed their pods, but it's not that simple.

Many people oppose removing the dams because of the security they provide. While this is true there is not enough salmon for the human fisherman or for the animals the fish feed like Orcas, otters, etc.

There are plenty of ways to help the orcas in the wild. Not just in Washington state but lots of other places as well.

This list is more geared toward Washington Residents.

1. Reduce plastic waste

2. signing letters and petitions

3. support local organizations

4. be whale aware while Whale watching expeditions

5. choose your fish and do not choose chinook salmon the main diet of the resident orcas. Also, make sure the products are labeled Salmon safe.

https://www.visitsanjuans.com/how-you-can-help-southern-resident-orcas

Orcas are often given the nickname "The Wolves of the Sea." Because they live in pods similar how to wolves live and hunt in groups of 25 or more which Orcas do as well.

They all do simailer behaviors despite being very different species but are both mammals.

Orcas are amazing animals but humans have taken advantage of this in more ways than one and they are more negative than positive.

Orcas have been caught from the wild and forced to live in concrete tanks only being fed frozen fish. The Marine Mammal industry is full of abuse and mistreatment of many different animals, not just orcas or bottlenose dolphins.

The industry started in the 1960s once people realized orcas and dolphins could be caught and taken care of in captivity for entertainment. It has since expanded to other countries like China and Russia.

While in America the industry is starting to shrink slowly because of the attacks on trainers and other caretakers by animals like orcas and other large mammals.

The animals often require medication in order to stay sane in captivity they develop extreme obsessive behaviors as they often don't receive proper enrichment.

Times are changing in the US. Places like Seaworld have stopped their breeding program and the orcas in their program are the last ones to be in captivity in the US. Once they die out. They will no longer contain orcas at Seaworld.

Orcas are wonderful creatures. If you want to see them.

Don't support marine parks. Go on a vacation and go on a whale-watching expedition instead and support the wild orcas instead.