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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Upstate autumn
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Falling for Rioja
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All eyes on moths
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Celebrate International Women’s Day
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The artists come to Venice
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Arches National Park, Utah
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Bobbio, Italy
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Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia
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Baddest of the badlands
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A day to celebrate the sun
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Bridge of Hillsborough County
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Looking for peace on the precipice
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Making it work—in Norway
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In Texas, even the riverbend is big
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75th anniversary of the Spruce Goose
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A peak in the clouds
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The Grand Départ: Tour de France begins
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Incense making, Vietnam
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World Rivers Day
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Gone ‘lightseeing’ in Berlin
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World Lizard Day
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You re feeling sleepy
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Barcelona bids farewell to summer
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Great Backyard Bird Count
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Spring equinox
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Life in a North African town
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Grandparents Day
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Polar bear season in Manitoba
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Let s get lost
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Halloween