The Killer Whale
Because of its large size and amazing jumping abilities, the killer whale is one of the most amazing and wellknown marine mammals in history. Although these marine mammals are commonly referred to as “killer whales”， they actually belong to the dolphin family, which is made up of around 40 different species of dolphins.
Killer whales are the largest of all the dolphin species and they are as big as some whales. They are also one of the most amazing hunters of all the marine mammals. In one strategy a group of killer whales may circle around a group of fish, forcing them into a tight ball while another killer whale swims underneath them to push them towards the surface of the water.
When fully grown, the killer whale can reach a length of 26ft and weigh over 6，000 pounds. However, the largest measured killer whale grew to around 32ft long and weighed around 10 tons!
The killer whale can often be seen working together with other killer whales using teamwork to catch their prey.In addition to hunting for food together, killer whales also make use of echolocation(回声定位法). This allows them to find food even when they are hunting at night. Killer whales are extremely family oriented(导向的)and as many as four generations of family members may be seen travelling together.
Killer whales are extremely intelligent and can learn complex tasks by observing and practicing. Killer whales have been observed teaching each other how to communicate, how to hunt and how to survive in the ocean.
Today killer whales have become a main attraction to several aquatic theme parks showing their talents to thousands of people each year. They have also become popular in movies and television shows where they are described as friendly and intelligent marine mammals.
