On World Wildlife Day, we"re in the ice-cold waters around the Norwegian island of Spildra with a pod of orcas, also known as killer whales. These apex predators are at the top of the food chain with a diet that includes a smorgasbord of sea creatures including fish, penguins, and even sharks and whales. They hunt in pods, family groups of up to 40 individuals that work together using special hunting techniques sometimes likened to packs of wolves. Despite their scary name, they almost never attack humans and there are no documented cases of wild orcas killing anyone. The name "killer whale" is thought to come from Spanish sailors who saw groups of them hunting big whales. Orcas are also the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family, Delphinidae.
Killer whales in Spildra, Norway
Today in History
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Albion Falls, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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World Rainforest Day
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Whangārei Falls in New Zealand
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Presidents hear the echo of history
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Italy s submerged village
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Vote!
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Headed to the High Country
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Smoking nights in Austria
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Sunbeams across Tartu County, Estonia
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Castle on a hill
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International Day of Forests
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Best. Holiday. Ever.
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Celebrating Madagascar on its Independence Day
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Ode to the sun
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The meeting point of the winds
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Traffic jam on the caribou highway
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A star is borne by seaweed
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World Turtle Day
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St. Paul Winter Carnival
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Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum
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Wyoming celebrates its statehood
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Presidents Day
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Is that a smile?
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Welcome to Scotland s garden
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A different kind of dive
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Tolkien Reading Day
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Is there a bug-egg emoji for this?
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Happy Pi Day!
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World Population Day
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Hyalite Creek at Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana