Killer Whales Research Paper

Orca whales are the largest members of the dolphin family. Orcas are very curious creatures, they like to sky hop, which is when they poke their heads out of the water and look around, and they can also dive to as much as a hundred feet. These social animals live in pods and stay with them for their whole lives. They are so family oriented that they can may sleep together in a tight circle and have synchronized breathing. Orcas can grow up to thirty-two feet and can weigh nine tons. They typically eat five percent of their body weight and are amazing hunters. The lifespan of an orca in their

The Amazon River Dolphin is called the Inia Geoffrensis, and more commonly the boto or pink dolphin. The Amazon River Dolphin has a lifespan of 30 years unless they are caught and used for bait. This dolphin is the largest of the River Dolphin species. They have a body length between 2 and 2.6 meters, and weigh between 220 and 350 pounds. Depending on the location, the dolphins could be blue, pink, albino, etc.

According to National Geographic, in the wild, Killer Whales are accustomed to traveling distances of up to 100 miles per day. However, the largest Killer Whale facility for Orcas in captivity in the world - located at Marineland in Antibes, France as stated by the Marineland website, only measures 210 feet long, 100 feet wide and 40 feet deep.

Some people argue that keeping orcas in captivity is not a problem, yet they do not realize some of the limitations and dangers orcas suffer when kept in captivity. One reason is that these unpredictable, thirty-foot long creatures are usually kept in a tank that is too small for them, compared to the ocean where they can swim freely. In captivity, space is limited. According to one expert, “orcas can swim up to 100 miles per day- a phenomenal amount, in comparison to the exercise they receive in captivity” (Cronin). While in captivity, an orca has to keep swimming in circles or float, unable to exercise adequately in a confined space. The small tanks also prevent orcas from living in their natural group sizes, or pods. “In the wild, killer whales typically travel in pods of between five and 30” (Melissa). In captivity, fewer than five whales are kept together, an imbalance that makes the whales more aggressive towards one another. This can lead to dangerous, territorial situations in which captive

They can swim up to 100 miles per day playing and hunting, while they cannot do anything of the sort in a tank. (“Whales and Dolphins in Captivity”) Entire pods of Orca Whales, up to 40 individuals, can be hunted at a time. Only the young and fit are taken, and during the process, many creatures are injured or killed. Overall, the wild capture of whales is brutal and unsafe for, not only Orca Whales, but sea life itself. (“Whales and Dolphins in Captivity”) When captured, they are put into holding tanks, often smaller than show pools.

Everyone loves going to marine parks such as SeaWorld and Marineland. They offer many spectacular shows with dolphins, sea lions and birds. However, the main attractions they offer are orcas, or as they are better known as killer whales. Highly intelligent and with acute senses of sight and hearing, they are apex predators. Recently, the possession of orcas has been a big topic of controversy. Many people believe that the animals are being mistreated in captivity. Their captivity limits their freedom and enjoyment. Many orcas suffer from poor physical and mental effects in captivity. Killer whales will usually travel between 50 and 100 miles per day in the wild, but in captivity all they can do is swim in circles or float for no reason. In the wild, killer whales live in pods of

It’s a average, nice summer day and you and your family decide to see killer whales at SeaWorld. Once you arrive to the place and see the large animals in the tank you’re fascinated by their large size. Killer whales, or orca whales, are large marine mammals that can be found in every ocean around the world. They can swim for hundred of miles and “routinely dive up to 300 ft” (“Should Orca Whales Be Kept in Captivity”). They also live in large family groups known as pods that they will rarely ever leave. Seeing these large animals in the tanks that they make seem small due to their large size and with other whales along with marks, mainly bite marks and flopped over dorsal fin for the males, make it questionable if they even should be here and if these other whales are family in the seemingly makeshift pod. Orcas should not be in captivity because of health problems, lack of space in the tanks, and most of them are taken from their homes in the wild where their true family is.

The earliest whales were land animals with long skulls and carnivorous teeth. Analysis of whale skulls showed major morphological changes, including changes to the skull size, shape, teeth, and nostrils. Fossil evidence shows that the trait of interest, the nostrils, can be found on fossils of the earliest whales, dating back to about 50 million years ago. Evolution occurred multiple times since then, each time resulting in the nostrils migrating further back on the skull. Eventually, the pair of nostrils positioned itself right on top of the head. These nostrils are the blowholes we see positioned on top of modern whales today. In addition, another momentous change in the nostrils occur when order Cetacea splits into Mysticetes and Odontocetes. Suborder Mysticetes

A blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. It weighs about 220,000 to 352,000 pounds. A blue whale is 82.5 to 100 feet tall. A human and killer whale pods eat the blue whale. It lives for 35 to 45 years long. A blue whales heart is the same size as a small car. Blue Whale calves drinky 90 kilograms of milk everyday.

Since the beginning, Orca captivity and displacement has been a highly controversial issue. With some in support of educational value behind venues of captivity such as Sea World, and others opposed to the neglectful treatment and confinement of these behemoth mammals. Killer whales, more commonly known as orcas or blackfish in popular culture, are known to inhabit all oceans on the earth from tropical regions to both arctic and Antarctic areas. In nature, the Killer whale has been designated as the world’s largest apex predator, lacking any predatory threats from above. Accompanying their vaunting presence in the natural food chain, these complex species have been scientifically designated as mammals that

Whales in captivity are held in swimming pools that are barely bigger than they are. According to Melissa Sawyer, “In the wild, they can easily travel 50 to 100 miles a day. However, in captivity, a typical tank is only twice their size, forcing the animals to swim in small circles or float aimlessly.” (Sawyer 1). Imagine living your whole life inside a bathtub, that is how whales that are in captivity feel. Due to their small living

Orcas are genuinely kind, brilliant, and extremely family oriented. In captivity these natural instincts are demolished. Orcas in captivity are known to suffer from depression, aggressiveness, health issues, rape, stress, shorter life

The dorsal fin is triangular, and has been know to grow in excess of 6 feet in length on males, but grow no more than 3 feet on females. (Martin) The pectoral fins of the orca can measure up to one sixth of it’s body length and is in the shape of a paddle. The orca usually have 40-50 conical teeth which measure over 2 inches in length, and has a perfect fit with the opposite set which makes it an excellent hunter. Although the teeth are robust, they do a lot of work through the years because older orcas have been known to have teeth worn down to the gum tissue (Haley.) The tongue of a killer whale has been known to weigh in excess of 2 tons (Martin.) They have been known to be fearless hunter, and a fast predator. Some say the ferocity of the killer whale exceeds that of the great white shark, which makes it one of the most feared in ocean life.

Not only are Orcas far too intelligent to be held captive, but also captivity does not meet their familial and social needs. In the wild, Orcas have complex familial and social relationships with those in their pods that they are not able to sustain in captivity due to being placed in a pool with and “artificial” family. Orcas typically spend their entire lives with their families unless taken away (Cronin, 2). In captivity, the young are separated from their mothers. At SeaWorld, after a four and a half year old Orca was taken away from

Bottlenose dolphins are one of thirty-two species of marine dolphins (World Book 297). Their scientific name is Tursiops Truncatus. Males are usually longer and heavier than females. Bottlenose dolphins can grow to be thirteen feet long and weigh up to 600 pounds (Bottlenose Dolphins). This makes bottlenose dolphins the largest of the beaked