![]() ![]() Orcas become adults in about fifteen years. It is shaped like a triangle, whereas the female’s dorsal fin is shorter and falciform.įigure 1: Killer whale sexual dimorphism (male in front and female in the background) (picture from national oceanic and atmospheric administration, Male killer whales measure between 6 and 9.5 meters and weigh between 3.6 and 9 tons females are smaller, measuring between 5.2 and 7.3 meters for a mass of between 1.3 and 3.6 tons. The male’s dorsal fin is larger than the female’s (about 90 cm) and can be 1 to 2 meters high. The body is topped by a large dorsal fin with a dark grey saddle-shaped patch just behind it. They have a characteristic appearance with a black back, white belly and a white patch behind and above the eye. Orcas or killer whales are marine mammals that feed on other marine mammals, fish and birds. So let’s go back to our Iberian population of orcas causing many problems in the open waters between Gibraltar and the north of Spain. You are a beautiful example for me as a young scientist but also as a person. ![]() No orca encounter for us, only a beautiful experience, some dolphins, many interesting people and 400 kilometers from La Coruna to Porto.īefore digging more into the killer whale topic, I really would like to thank Thierry and Barbara for the amazing experience, the trust and the energy they have put every day in what they believe. Actually, when Thierry first told me about this new atypical behavior of some orcas that started attacking boats exactly where we wanted to go, I was a bit worried but also sad as I would have loved to encounter these beautiful animals, but given the situation probably was better so. Never had I expected that already the first evening, around the dinner table, the topic for my project would be already so clear. When I first encountered Thierry and Barbara on board of their fantastic Gaia, I was amazed by the opportunity that they and SJf gave to me, to spend two weeks on board, experiencing the open sea. Killer whale: Is the nomenclature of this marine mammal more appropriate as we had ever thought? (Probably not) ![]()
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