GoodLuck Mini Killer Whale / Orca

All GoodLuck Mini products are BPA-free and non-toxic. This figure measures about 1" in length and 0.5" tall.

Surprising Facts About Killer Whales

1. Killer Whales Aren't Whales
Also termed orcas, these creatures are actually closely related to other dolphins. It is theorized that the misnomer was originated by sailors who saw orcas' ferocious hunting of large marine animals and dubbed them "whale killers." Then, the term somehow got flipped around over time.

2. They Have Evolved Based on Culture.
One of the most apparent examples of this was in the orcas' hunting behavior — different groups will hunt different types of prey using different techniques. Eventually, those distinctions result in differences in genomes, meaning cultural groups become genetically distinct.
Before this discovery, humans were the only known animals to evolve based on culture.

3. Orcas Cannot Smell. 
Orcas do not have an olfactory system, which means they likely do not have a sense of smell. While this may seem like a handicap, it actually makes a lot of sense. Unlike sharks, which use smell to track down prey, the orca uses its keen hearing to practice echolocation — producing sounds and listening for echoes to tell if there are objects or animals in their surroundings. The absence of this smelling system is present in all dolphins and most toothed whales, so orcas are not alone in this deficiency.

4. They Have Big Brains.
Some scientists use brain size — specifically the ratio between brain weight and body weight — to roughly measure intelligence. By that measure, the orca's brain size is 2.5 times larger than the average of other animals. However, because of orcas' impressive social, language, and echolocation abilities, it is believed that their intelligence far surpasses what their brain size suggests.

5. Orcas Scare White Sharks.
It is possible that orcas are targeting white sharks. Another theory is simply that orcas bully white sharks away from prey in the area. Either way, even if orcas are just passing through, white sharks will not return to a location for up to a year.