Orcas live ( but maybe not for long)... Watch Shamu swim!

Shamu live In action.
I dislike it that these beautiful creatures are in zoo's, etc.
One died in the Vancouver aquarium. I watched him swim round and round in his cramped little world, the next time I went back, he was gone..forever.
The good that came of them being captive , however, was a world realizing these whales aren't killers.
So many were slaughtered, used for target practice years ago. In Puget Sound only 85 are left ( of the Puget Sound orcas). I think that figure is corrrect. we have lost so many recently, and they think it is because of too many boats, always watching them, making it hard for their sonar to work to find food. ( sounds disturb that process). Also salmon runs are lessened. They eat an astonshing amount of salmon a day! So recently J pod went foraging near California. They fear it is too far for them to go for food. I think we have lost something like 10 orcas in 2 years here!
Well, Kim had blogged the pandas, but it was too dark to see them, so I searched for some animal I could see.
Sigh....
I must admit, I feel I am an intruder, don't these animals deserve any privacy?
......signed, Peeping me!


Facts and info from the Zoo::

Killer whales are among the fastest swimming marine mammals. They can swim as fast as 48 kph (30 mph), but they usually cruise at much slower speeds, about 3 to 10 kph (2–6 mph).

Orcinus orca

Killer whales are members of the scientific family of toothed whales called Delphinidae, the dolphin family. The killer whale is the largest member of the dolphin family.

Killer whales live in all the oceans of the world. They’re most abundant in the Arctic and Antarctic, and areas of coldwater upwelling, where the nutrient-rich water is full of marine life to feast on.

Killer whales live in groups called pods. A pod may consist of as few as five and as many as about 30 individuals: a mix of males, females, and calves of varying ages. Sometimes, several smaller pods join together to form larger herds of 50 or more whales.

Some researchers believe that the lifespan of a killer whale is about 25 to 35 years, but no one knows for certain.

Killer whales’ sizes vary with geographical distribution. In the North Atlantic, female killer whales average about 5.5 m (18 ft.) and about 1,361 to 3,628 kg (3,000–8,000 lb.). Male killer whales are usually larger than females. A North Atlantic male averages about 6.1 m (20 ft.) and weighs about 3,628 to 5,442 kg (8,000–12,000 lb.).

Although the worldwide population of killer whales is unknown, killer whales are not endangered. In some areas of the Antarctic alone their numbers have been estimated at about 180,000. Researchers can identify individual killer whales by taking pictures of dorsal fins, noting differences in shape, relative size and scars.

Want more information?
If you have a question about aquatic animals, call 1-800-23-SHAMU (1-800-237-4268). This toll-free phone number is answered by the SeaWorld Education Department seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Time. Visit the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database at www.seaworld.o