Orcas are highly intelligent marine mammals and apex predators, inhabiting all oceans from polar to tropical seas. They are known for their intricate social structures, which involve complex communication and cooperative behaviors within their family groups.
What Orca Young Are Called
Orca young are commonly referred to as calves. At birth, an orca calf is substantial in size, typically measuring 6.5 to 8.5 feet (2 to 2.6 meters) in length. Their weight can range from 265 to 400 pounds (120 to 180 kg).
The First Stages of Life
An orca calf enters the world tail-first, which helps prevent drowning during delivery. Immediately after birth, the calf must quickly reach the surface for its first breath, often guided by its mother. Newborn calves sometimes display a peachy-orange or yellowish tint on their white patches, due to a thinner blubber layer. This hue typically fades to white within their first year.
Nursing is a vital activity for a newborn orca calf. They suckle underwater from mammary slits concealed on their mother’s underside. The mother typically glides horizontally, arching her tail, allowing the calf to swim alongside on its side to access the mammary gland.
Calves nurse for short durations, often 5 to 10 seconds at a time, but do so multiple times an hour, day and night. Orca milk is rich in fat, crucial for the calf’s rapid growth and the development of an insulating blubber layer.
Raising Young in the Pod
Orca calves remain dependent on their mothers, nursing for one to two years. Even as they gradually begin to consume solid food, their mother continues to provide nourishment and teach them how to forage effectively. This prolonged dependence allows young orcas ample time to learn essential life skills by observing and imitating older pod members, acquiring complex hunting techniques, specific communication calls, and intricate social behaviors.
The upbringing of young orcas is a communal effort within the pod. Other females, such as aunts and grandmothers, participate in caring for and protecting the calves, a practice known as alloparenting. This shared responsibility helps ensure the calf’s survival and integration into the group. Orca pods are characterized by strong, lifelong family bonds, with offspring often remaining with their mothers and extended family members for their entire lives. This cohesive social structure and intergenerational knowledge transfer contribute to the success and learning of young orcas.