These mega marine mammals have many hunting techniques, and bumping seals off ice is just one of them. Often referred to as ‘wolves of the sea’, killer whales live and hunt together in ‘pods’, or family groups, much like a pack of wolves Working together as they hunt, groups of killer whales cooperate to herd fish into a compact area so that they’re easier to gobble up. They will also slap their tails onto the water’s surface, causing a wave to wash prey (such as penguins or sea lions) off ice floes and into the water. Orcas were long considered one species, but now it appears that there are several species (or at least, subspecies—researchers are still figuring this out) of orcas. As researchers learn more about orcas, they have proposed separating the whales into different species or subspecies based on genetics, diet, size, vocalizations, location and physical appearance. In the Southern Hemisphere, proposed species include those referred to as Type A (Antarctic), large type B (pack ice killer whale), small Type B (Gerlache killer whale), Type C (Ross Sea killer whale), and Type D (Subantarctic killer whale). In the Northern Hemisphere, proposed types include resident killer whales, Bigg’s (transient) killer whales, offshore killer whales, and Type 1 and 2 Eastern North Atlantic killer whales Determining species of killer whales is important not only in gaining information about the whales but in protecting them—it is difficult to determine the abundance of killer whales without even knowing how many species there are. Kimberly #killerwhales #orcatypes #ocean #savetheresidentorcas https://www.instagram.com/p/CUX72_lqZ9j/?utm_medium=tumblr