Like many people my age, my fascination with the mighty killer whale began in 1993 when I watched a whale majestically leap over a rock wall to freedom. Since then I’ve had several opportunities to admire these majestic creatures, both in captivity (thankfully aquariums in my city are no longer allowed to keep large marine mammals imprisoned) and in the wild (living in the Pacific Northwest, orca sightings from ferries are not uncommon). Each and every time I’m left utterly in awe of their size, power and elegance.
Not only are orcas extremely intelligent, they’re also very playful, with studies showing that orcas seem to engage in energetic behaviour such as leaping and splashing simply for the fun of it, strengthening their bonds with each other through shared play. Sounds a lot like us humans!
Have you ever witnessed an orca in the wild? It’s a breathtaking experience! There are actually three different orca ecotypes (genetically distinct groups) that live in the waters off the coast of British Columbia and Washington State – the Resident, Bigg’s and Offshore ecotypes. Unfortunately they are all either threatened, endangered or of special concern.
There’s even a fun action song featuring orca whales that’s perfect for storytimes! All orcas, all the time!
Mona Voelkel is hosting Poetry Friday this week. 🙂