AMY FROM MARINE CONSERVATION TALKS ABOUT ORCAS AND WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM

A deep-dive in to the wonderful world of orcas View in browser A pod of three orcas are photographed breaching the water's surface Credit: Hugh Harrop Hi John, I had a very lively debate about orcas with my budding marine biologist son last week. He is convinced orcas are whales ("They're called killer whales, Mummy!") and would not be told otherwise. In fairness to him, it's only since working here that I've learnt so many fascinating facts about orcas, so I thought this month's species spotlight should be on these wonderful creatures. Despite their large size, did you know that orcas are one of the fastest marine mammals with top speeds of around 35mph? They also live up to their formidable name, being well known for their highly coordinated and often ingenious hunting tactics – sometimes preying on much bigger whales. A fact that really blew my mind was how long an orca can live for - a whopping 90 years! A mother orca and her baby are photographed breaching the surface of the blue ocean Credit: Graeme Cresswell Strong family life Orcas live in pods led by a strong matriarch (a single female) with her sons, daughters and the descendants of her daughters. Within the pod the bonds are very strong and the whole group takes responsibility for diligently caring for calves. To prevent inbreeding, males will mate with females from other pods but will return to their own. The females are pregnant for an incredible 17 months and reproduce every 3-4 years - wow! Learn more about orcas One final thing for you to test your knowledge (and help settle the debate between my son and I!): Is an orca a: Whale Dolphin Let me know which fact impressed you most about orcas, or if you have a fact of your own - I'd love to hear from you. Before I go, I wanted to share one final fact with you. Unfortunately, these wonderful mammals haven't been untouched by human pollution. There is data to show that harmful chemicals, otherwise known as PFAS, are present in orcas. We're working hard to call for a universal restriction on PFAS - more details coming on this soon! Have a lovely week. Amy Digital Channels Manager Marine Conservation Society Escape to the Shetlands: orca edition Orcas can be found globally, although they're a less common sight around the UK. However, there's a small resident pod around the west coast of the UK and Ireland and another pod seasonally visits northern Scotland to hunt in the summer. Self-confessed "orca-holic" Hugh Harrop has captured some incredible footage, including the following. Enjoy: Donate Become a member Our shop Contact us Unsubscribe The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife. Marine Conservation Society | Company Limited by Guarantee (England and Wales) No. 2550966 Registered Charity No. England and Wales No. 1004005 | Scotland No. SC037480 VAT No. 321 4912 32 Registered Office: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 7US. Scottish Office: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EG.