Home Nature Tours Wildlife of British Columbia Killer Whales
Killer whale (Orcinus orca)
Killer whales are social animals living in pods from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Each pod has a unique system of calls that help them distinguish each other from many miles away.
Killer whales are top predators in the ocean. By hunting with their pod, they are able to catch fish, seals, dolphins and even mammoth blue whales! Resident pods prefer a fish-based diet while transient pods target other marine mammals. Despite their hunting skill, humans have never been killed by a killer whale.
Killer whales are not actually whales – they are members of the Delphinidae, or dolphin, family.
You can see these beautiful giants on our Vancouver Island whale watching tours or as they pass between our resorts.
