Mom and Baby

Southern resident male Orcas usually live into their 30s and females into their 50s.

Orcas live in matrilineal family groups presumably led by elder matriarchs. Two or more matrilines may form a pod.
Both male and female offspring typically remain with their maternal family for life.
Genetic evidence indicates that mating occurs between, and not within, pods.
A pod's or maternal family's unique repertoire of calls is called a dialect.
The J, K and L pods, which frequent Puget Sound, are known as the southern resident community.



A wide variety of types of orcas have been observed, including "residents," which eat only fish, "transients," which eat only mammals, and "offshores," found several miles from shore, but not all orca communities worldwide may fit those descriptions.

posted by Scott in Washington at 1:50 PM |