#orca whales

[writerbeemedina]

Hi I would really like to see a mermaid society modeled after orcas, please. 👉🏼👈🏼

• Matriarchal, led by oldest wisest female who raised other children in the pod

• Knowledge of their exclusive hunting techniques and hunting territories passed onto each generation

• Nomadic

• Often kills other sea creatures just for the thrill of it

• Strong emotional bonds

Thank you. You’re welcome.

[daily-fun-animal-facts]

Hi! Any cool facts about orcas

Hello my friend! Of course!

The name killer whale derives from their original name ‘whale killers’ given to them by sailors who saw them hunting whales. Over time, the name eventually switched around.  The name ‘orca‘ comes from their Latin species name Orcinus orca, where orcinus translates to mean ‘Kingdom of the dead’.

Since moose dive up to 6 meters (~20 ft) to find aquatic vegetation to eat, Orcas have become one of their natural predators.

While their name suggests that they come from the whale family, they are actually the largest of the dolphin family. The real question however, is do they share the same freakish behaviors some dolphins exhibit?

[aquaticplushies]

BLÅVINGAD made by IKEA !!

[ayeolaomolara]

The Waters Will Not Go Quietly Into the Night

I’m having a lot of fun creating more often and responding to the whims of my inspiration. This piece satiated a yearning within me to draw an orca whale and a yearning to draw a mermaid. I’m exploring the juxtaposition of fantasy, reality, and the absurdities of modern human life.

There’s something revolutionary about whales sinking ships. I hold space for the harm and trauma such experiences cause to fisherman and sea fairing folks. But I also hold space for whales engaging in the same practices of wanton destruction that humans do. I know that as we continue our sprint to extinction, nature will not be a passive witness. Whether or not her rebellion is conscious in the way we humans conceptualize and strategize environmental protests, I draw solidarity from her resistance.

I think it’s important to engage in mental play to keep myself motivated to fight for a future that’s beautiful. In the same way I entertain thoughts that perhaps mermaids are real, I also hold onto thoughts that orca whales sink ships to protest pollution. I cling to the fantasy of mermaids in order to steel within me a necessary element of childlike wonder and lust for life. I search for evidence of nature developing new obstacles for our pillaging because it helps me feel like justice is inevitable.

There’s two parts of my mind that are in constant battle (thank you Gemini moon🌚🌝). I draw resolve and urgency from the science backed research that connects human actions to climate change. In equal measure, I draw power from this “gut feeling”that Mother Earth is conscious and inspiring the natural world to fight on her behalf for a balanced planet.

Maybe the orcas are just having fun and sinking ships is their new pastime. Or maybe they’re our brothers in arms and we’ll have tea with the orcas and the mermaids when the revolution is done.

Xoxo Ayeola

This piece will be available as an exclusive patreon reward 💖 if you want to support my continued artwork, join me on patreon!

Story shares and saves are super appreciated and help the algorithm boost my artwork.

[marine-life-corner]

Why are orcas often called Killer Whales?

Well, these unique animals - who aren't whales at all, but rather dolphins - are apex predators. An apex predator is an animal at the top of the food chain, and who therefore doesn't have a natural predator. This makes orcas terrifying to other animals, but that's not the reason for their nickname. The truth is, orcas are known for attacking and eating prey larger than themselves, like whales, sharks, seals, and more. During hunting, they gather in groups, corner their victim and attack, which made ancient sailors name the animal Asesina Ballenas, translating to Whale Killer, but over time the name changed to Killer Whale.

But orcas are usually friendly towards humans! Even though there have been recorded incidents of them attacking and flipping boats, but at most times, orcas try to avoid people. So as long as you keep fair distance, you should be fine!:D

[deianaracrush]

This is making me insane. Is the reason why the Puget Sound’s orcas are in so much trouble because, unlike orcas from other places, they won’t hunt the (relatively abundant!) seals and instead only want to eat (relatively rare) salmon????

[exvangelical-christian-nerd]

TW swearing

Look I will pick a bear any day of the week, without blinking, but there are a couple animals that i simply do not fuck with, okay? One big one being orca whales. Even great whites are like, "No, thanks I'm out." And like move to a whole 'nother piece of ocean, cus that spot belongs to the orcas now. I'mma take my cue from the sharks here.

[morbidboats]

a while back I talked to Greg and he said he was gonna put the Eden Orca website back up, and he did!

tremendous shoutout to him for all the wonderful work he's done on the topic over the years, and for being a very kind man I have had the honor of exchanging emails with :)

[bitey-baby-shark]

Facts of the Day: 🌊Orcas🌊

Scientific Name: Ocrinus Orca

Length: Up to 31 feet, 32 feet long is the largest on record

Weight: 8,000 to 16,000 lbs on average, largest on record is 22,000 lbs

Lifespan: 50 to 90 years in the wild

Reproduction: Orcas reproduce every 3 to 10 years, giving birth to a single calf after a gestation period of 15 to 18 months. The calves will nurse exclusively for at least a year but will remain close to the mother for the first two years of their life. 

Diet: Herring, schooling fish, minke whales, seals, sea lions, arctic toothfish, stingrays and even sharks

Habitat: They are found in oceans worldwide, however they are most abundant in colder waters like Antarctica, Norway, and Alaska. They can be found in tropical and subtropical waters as well.

Status: Endangered

Summary: Orcas are actually a species of dolphin, the largest of all dolphins. The reason they were initially referred to as killer whales were due to their large size and due to the fact they may feast on whales. However, they utilize their large size well, as they can swim at speeds up to 34 mph. One of the most notable things about Orcas is how intelligent they are. They’re exceedingly skilled hunters, known to beach themselves to drive sea lions into the water, only to slide back into the water to hunt the sea lions with the rest of their pod. They have also been known to deliberately cause large waves to throw their prey into the water, where they are easier to hunt. Their intelligence is also notable due to the fact that they have a skill rarely found in other animals besides humans, which is that they have a culture! Scientists have been able to prove that each pod of Orcas has a distinct dialect and a pattern of learned behaviors that they teach to the new babies of the pod and pass down through generations. 

[arthur-lesters-pinky-finger]

Man I don't usually dislike my autism but I'm supposed to be signing up for my uni. But I can't bc first I need to satisfy my orca whale urge

[musings-of-a-rose]

You may not know this about me, but orca whales are my love. Specifically the Southern Resident Orcas that live off the coast of Washington State and BC. J, K, and L pod are like long distance family and I have had the privilege and honor of seeing them in person a few times (I even got to see Ruffles, the orca with the tall ruffled dorsal fin from the opening credits of Free Willy before he passed).

A little history: back in the early 70s, there was a huge orca whale capture in Penn Cove in Washington. Babies were separated from their families, adults murdered for protecting their little ones, whole pods decimated. You can hear the audio of them just screaming. It's heartbreaking. That particular pod of Orcas from L pod have not been back since then. 54 years.

Except, they came back! On November 3rd, they CAME BACK. They avoided the place where so much horror and trauma happened for decades but they decided to come BACK! I saw video of them spyhopping and swimming in the waters that hold so much sadness for them. I'll put the link below if you want to watch it.

Excuse me while I stand in my kitchen, 3200 miles away from them, bawling my eyes out in happiness ❤️

[black-salt-cage]

ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚

[lambnotincluded]

[aquaticplushies]

Splash Orca made by Aurora !!

[nerd-at-sea5]

to all the animals enacting revenge on humans, ily and i hope you have a WONDERFUL day <33

[mumblebee19]

Lolololol