Another, more sinister possibility is that the orca abducted the calf. Pilot whales will chase off orcas in Icelandic waters , possibly in response to food competition or a perceived predation risk.

How long an orca lives depends on its sex. Females live longer than males. In fact, some female orcas have outlived their male counterparts by more than 20 years, according to the nonprofit Wild Orca.

In 2018, the apparent deep mourning of this orca, identified by researchers as J35 and also known as Tahlequah, became a symbol of the plight of the Southern Resident whales. While orcas sometimes ...

The appearance of a new orca calf in Washington’s Puget Sound last month was cause for celebration. The young female, whom researchers named J61, was a new addition to the Southern Resident ...

Lolita, the oldest orca held in captivity, died on Friday — less than five months after the Miami Seaquarium announced plans to release her back into her native ocean waters.