Media Category: Orcas/Whales

Killer whale brains weigh up to 15 pounds. Large brains paired with extreme amounts of folding or gyrification means things like language, memory and emotional capacity are highly developed, allowing them to develop rich culture. (Sperm whales have the largest brains).

Orca are found in every ocean around the world with the greatest number of different eco-types found in Antarctic waters. Different eco-types have evolved over millions of years as the genetics of each population became more and more segregated due to a lack of interbreeding between populations.

That’s 30 times longer than humans! However, over the past 200 years, human activities have contributed to several orca populations becoming endangered. Orcas are especially threatened by food shortages, chemical pollution, and increasing noise in the ocean.

photo: Rachael Merrett Continue reading →

photo: Rachael Merrett Continue reading →