What Do Orcas Eat? Diet by Population
Orcas eat different foods by population: salmon, seals and other marine mammals, or fish and sharks. See each diet explained with NOAA sources.
Orca (killer whale)
The orca is the largest member of the dolphin family. It lives in tight family pods, and different populations specialize in different prey.
Key numbers
Scientific name: Orcinus orca
| Length | 7–9.8 m (23–32 ft)(animaldiversity.org) |
|---|---|
| Weight | up to 10 metric tons (11 US tons)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Lifespan (wild) | 30–90 years(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Diet | Diet depends on the group. Some pods mainly eat fish such as salmon, others hunt seals and other marine mammals, and some eat sharks; each pod's habits are passed down.(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Habitat | Ocean: Found in all oceans.(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Conservation status | Data Deficient(animaldiversity.org) |
Sources give different figures for some of these numbers; we show the range they support.
Read more about the orca (killer whale)
Our full orca (killer whale) profile is on the way. Meanwhile, see it next to a person, to scale.