In contrast to baleen whales, orcas or killer whales are 'toothed' whales, with real teeth rather than fibrous plates for screening. They capture single prey, ranging from fish, squid, penguins, seals, dolphins, swans, and even whales, including the largest whales among the blue whales.

Usually black and white, in Antarctic waters their skin is covered with a plankton film called a diatom, which gives them a brownish and yellowish color.

The male orca (9.75 m) grows significantly larger than the female (8.5 m). Adult males are obvious because of their very high dorsal fins.

Distribution
Orca whales are found almost everywhere in all the oceans of the earth.

Previously thought to live on the outer fringes of ice packs, now we know that they can live deep in ice, even in winter.

It is also thought they migrated from Antarctica in the winter, but there are some rare sightings in ice packs in the heart of winter. Furthermore, small calves have been seen in the middle of winter, indicating that orcas are the only species of whales that breed in Antarctic waters.

They are common in Antarctic waters, with an estimated population of about 70,000.