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Kit Fassett | profile | all galleries >> Alaska June 2014 >> Orcas tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Orcas

Orcas also known as killer whales. They are really a member of the porpoise family and not whales at all. The types are Residence, Transient and Offshore. I believe the type we see in these pictures are the Transient.

Transient: The diets of these porpoises consist almost exclusively of marine mammals. Transients generally travel in small groups, usually of two to six animals, and have less persistent family bonds than residents or offshore. Transients vocalize in less variable and less complex dialects. Female transients are characterized by more triangular and pointed dorsal fins than those of male residents. The gray or white area around the dorsal fin, known as the "saddle patch", often contains some black colouring in residents. However, the saddle patches of transients are solid and uniformly gray. Transients roam widely along the coast; some individuals have been sighted in both southern Alaska and California. Transients are also referred to as Bigg's killer whale in honor of Michael Bigg.



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