Why in News?
Australian authorities are euthanizing approximately 90 false killer whales that survived a mass stranding on a remote Tasmanian beach.
- It is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family.
- It is also known as Orcas.
- Scientific Name - Orcinus orca.
- Type – Mammals.
- Weight - Up to 6 tons.
- Appearance - They are immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring.
- Distribution - Though they often frequent cold, coastal waters, orcas can be found from the Polar Regions to the Equator.
- Orcas are highly intelligent and able to coordinate hunting tactics.
- These are extremely fast swimmers and have been recorded at speeds of up to 54kph.
- Whales are highly social mammals and are well known for stranding in groups because they travel in large, close-knit communities which rely on constant communication.
- Diet – Carnivores.
- They use echolocation to communicate and hunt, making sounds that travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back, revealing their location, size, and shape.
- Conservation Status
References
- BBC | Killer Whales
- Times of India | Killer Whales
