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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Busy building wetlands
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Dance of the egret
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A narrow passage
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Antarctica Day
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Moody skies over Valletta
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In praise of the old…the very old
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International Day of Forests
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Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
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Merry Christmas
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Light show in the forest
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They’re grrrape!
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International Chameleon Day
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Greetings from Asbury Park
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Madame Sherri Forest, New Hampshire
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Ancient town of Sorano, Tuscany, Italy
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The Alhambra in Granada, Spain
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Chapel on the rock
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International Moon Day
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Giants of the avian world
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Bryce Canyon National Park turns 100
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International Whale Shark Day
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Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand
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Reflections of the night sky
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Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
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Goðafoss waterfall, Iceland
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International Mountain Day
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Where can you find a red fox?
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Greater flamingos, Lüderitz, Namibia
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Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
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Splügen Pass, Switzerland
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