Sea World
Killer whales are among the fastest swimming marine mammals.
•
Killer whales can swim at speeds of up to 45 kph (28 mph), but probably only for a few seconds at a time.
• Killer whales usually cruise at much slower speeds, less than 13 kph (8 mph). They can cruise slowly for long periods of time
Killer whales are agile and maneuverable in the water.
When swimming near the surface, a killer whale usually stays below water for 30 seconds or less.
4. Swimming energetics.
•
Blubber smooths the contour of a killer whale and contributes to its characteristic fusiform shape, which is quite energy efficient for swimming. Compared to other body shapes, this body shape creates less drag (the opposing force an object generates as it travels through water).
• Killer whales and many other toothed whales sometimes “porpoise” at the surface: they swim fast enough to break free of the water, soaring briefly up and out and then back under in one continuous movement, which they generally repeat. Porpoising uses less energy than swimming fast at the surface.
•
Wave-riding also saves energy. Killer whales and many other toothed whales sometimes ride ocean swells or a boat’s bow wave or stern wake. Riding a wave or a wake, a killer whale can go almost twice as fast using the same energy cost.
• A killer whale calf swims close to its mother and can be carried in the mother’s “slip stream,” a type of hydrodynamic wake that develops as the mother swims. This helps the calf swim with less energy and enables the mother and calf to keep up with the pod.
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DIVING
1.
Although not generally deep divers, foraging killer whales can dive to at least 100 m (328 ft.) or more.
2. The deepest dive known for a killer whale was performed under experimental conditions and was 274.3 m (900 ft.).
RESPIRATION
1.
A killer whale breathes through a single blowhole on top of its head.
•
The blowhole is relaxed in a closed position. To open the blowhole, a killer whale contracts the muscular flap covering the blowhole.
•
A whale holds its breath below water.
•
A killer whale opens its blowhole and begins to exhale just before reaching the surface of the water.
• At the surface, the whale quickly inhales and closes the muscular flap.
3. In comparison to a human, a killer whale can hold its breath longer and exchange more lung air with each breath.
4. The resting respiratory rate of killer whales at SeaWorld is about three to seven breaths every five minutes.
SLEEP
1.
Studies suggest that in bottlenose dolphins (closely related to killer whales) and beluga whales, sleep probably occurs in only one brain hemisphere at a time. This may help a whale monitor its environment, keep swimming, and control its respiration.
2.
Observers note that killer whales typically rest, motionless, at various times throughout the day and night for short periods of time or for as long as eight hours straight. While resting, killer whales may swim slowly or make a series of 3 to 7 short dives of less than a minute before making a long dive for up to three minutes.
3.
When sleep researchers studied two newborn killer whale calves and their mothers at SeaWorld San Diego, they discovered that the mothers and calves didn’t appear to sleep or rest at all for the first month of a calf’s life. Over the next several months, the whales gradually increased the amount of time they spent resting to normal adult levels. Four bottlenose dolphin calf-mother pairs showed the same sleep-behavior pattern. Staying active and responsive after birth may be an adaptation for avoiding predators and maintaining body temperature while the calf builds up a layer of blubber.
www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/killer-whale/adap...
Sea World
Killer whales are among the fastest swimming marine mammals.
•
Killer whales can swim at speeds of up to 45 kph (28 mph), but probably only for a few seconds at a time.
• Killer whales usually cruise at much slower speeds, less than 13 kph (8 mph). They can cruise slowly for long periods of time
Killer whales are agile and maneuverable in the water.
When swimming near the surface, a killer whale usually stays below water for 30 seconds or less.
4. Swimming energetics.
•
Blubber smooths the contour of a killer whale and contributes to its characteristic fusiform shape, which is quite energy efficient for swimming. Compared to other body shapes, this body shape creates less drag (the opposing force an object generates as it travels through water).
• Killer whales and many other toothed whales sometimes “porpoise” at the surface: they swim fast enough to break free of the water, soaring briefly up and out and then back under in one continuous movement, which they generally repeat. Porpoising uses less energy than swimming fast at the surface.
•
Wave-riding also saves energy. Killer whales and many other toothed whales sometimes ride ocean swells or a boat’s bow wave or stern wake. Riding a wave or a wake, a killer whale can go almost twice as fast using the same energy cost.
• A killer whale calf swims close to its mother and can be carried in the mother’s “slip stream,” a type of hydrodynamic wake that develops as the mother swims. This helps the calf swim with less energy and enables the mother and calf to keep up with the pod.
RETURN TO TOP
DIVING
1.
Although not generally deep divers, foraging killer whales can dive to at least 100 m (328 ft.) or more.
2. The deepest dive known for a killer whale was performed under experimental conditions and was 274.3 m (900 ft.).
RESPIRATION
1.
A killer whale breathes through a single blowhole on top of its head.
•
The blowhole is relaxed in a closed position. To open the blowhole, a killer whale contracts the muscular flap covering the blowhole.
•
A whale holds its breath below water.
•
A killer whale opens its blowhole and begins to exhale just before reaching the surface of the water.
• At the surface, the whale quickly inhales and closes the muscular flap.
3. In comparison to a human, a killer whale can hold its breath longer and exchange more lung air with each breath.
4. The resting respiratory rate of killer whales at SeaWorld is about three to seven breaths every five minutes.
SLEEP
1.
Studies suggest that in bottlenose dolphins (closely related to killer whales) and beluga whales, sleep probably occurs in only one brain hemisphere at a time. This may help a whale monitor its environment, keep swimming, and control its respiration.
2.
Observers note that killer whales typically rest, motionless, at various times throughout the day and night for short periods of time or for as long as eight hours straight. While resting, killer whales may swim slowly or make a series of 3 to 7 short dives of less than a minute before making a long dive for up to three minutes.
3.
When sleep researchers studied two newborn killer whale calves and their mothers at SeaWorld San Diego, they discovered that the mothers and calves didn’t appear to sleep or rest at all for the first month of a calf’s life. Over the next several months, the whales gradually increased the amount of time they spent resting to normal adult levels. Four bottlenose dolphin calf-mother pairs showed the same sleep-behavior pattern. Staying active and responsive after birth may be an adaptation for avoiding predators and maintaining body temperature while the calf builds up a layer of blubber.
www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/killer-whale/adap...