Killer Whales - Infobook Index
Killer Whales - Infobook Index
SeaWorld.org
HABITAT/DISTRIBUTION
1. Killer whales inhabit all oceans of the world. Next to humans, killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal.
2. Killer whales are found in the open ocean, but they seem to be most abundant in coastal waters.
3. In addition to being found in colder water, killer whales also have been seen in warm water areas such as Hawaii, Australia, the Galapagos Islands, the Bahamas, and the Gulf of Mexico. Such sightings are infrequent, but they do demonstrate the killer whales' ability to venture into tropical waters. Even more surprising, killer whales have been seen in fresh water rivers around the world such as the Rhine, the Thames, and the Elbe. One even traveled some 177 km (110 mi.) up the Columbia River to eat fish.
4. Killer whales are much more abundant in the Arctic, the Antarctic, and areas of cold-water upwelling.
5. The three forms of Antarctic killer whales have different distributions.
• “Type A†killer whales are circumpolar and live offshore in ice-free water.
• “Type B†killer whales inhabit inshore waters of Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula, near the pack ice.
• “Type C†killer whales inhabit inshore waters and pack ice and are most common in the eastern Antarctic.
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