nd calves of varying ages. Several smaller pods may join occasionally to form larger groups of 50 or more individuals called hers or aggregations. There is only an occasional exchange of members between pods, especially during breeding season.Social Behavior. Living in a pod creates a strong social bond between the individuals. Behavioral studies show that certain animals like associating with one another than they do with others.Individual Behavior. Killer whale behavior includes spyhopping, hanging vertically in the water with its head partially above water, breaching, jumping clear of the water and landing on the back or side, lobtailing, slapping the tail flukes on the surface of the water, and pec-slapping, slapping a pectoral flipper on the surface of the water.Diet And Eating Habits:Food Preferences And Resources. Killer whales are the top predators in the ocean and are the most active predators as well. In all regions, their diet differs but in the Antarctic, killer whales eat about 67% fishes, 27% marine mammals, and 6% squids. And in the Bering Sea, near Alaska, they eat about 65% fishes, 20% squids, and 15% marine mammals. They also eat other marine mammals and seabirds. Killer whales prey on both mysticete and Odontocete whales, seals, sea lions, walruses, and occasionally sea otters and penguins.Food intake. Adult killer whales eat approximately 3% to 4% of their body weight in food per day and fully weaned calves can eat up to 10% of their body weight per day.Methods Of Collecting Food. Killer whales often hunt in pods for their food. They work together to encircle and herd prey into small areas before attacking. They may slide out onto sand bars or ice floes to pursue their prey, as well. They surface under ice floes to know prey into the water, too. Reproduction:Sexual Maturity. Studies of killer whales in marine zoological parks suggest that females become sexually mature when they reach about fifteen to sixteen feet, a...
