Long-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas)
Orca (Orcinus orca)
The orca is the largest member of the dolphin family. The males can reach up to almost 10 m and have a very high dorsal fin, up to 1.8 m. The animals can travel at 55 km/h. The short time of presence in the Strait is determined by the migration of their preferred food, the Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus. In Tarifa pods of the smart orcas follow the fishing boats and steal tunas from the fishing lines.
Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: July/August
other names: killer whale, great killer whale, grampus
| Suborder: | toothed whales |
|---|---|
| Family: | Delphinidae (dolphins) |
| Size: | 5,5 - 9,8 m |
| Weight: | 2,6 - 9 t |
| Diet: | fish, cephalopodes, marine mammals, birds |
| Status: | not endangeres |
Features:
- most of the body is black
- white pattern on underside
- white patch behind each eye
- tall dorsal fin (much lower in femals)
- light saddle patch behind dorsal fin
- large paddle-shaped flippers
- flukes with slightly concave trailing edges and distinct notch