What do killer whales eat?

The Orca Diet: Earth’s Most Versatile Predator

Orcas (Orcinus orca) are apex predators with the most diverse diet of any marine mammal. What makes orcas particularly remarkable is that different populations have developed highly specialized feeding strategies, passed down through generations as cultural traditions.

Dietary Specialization by Population

Orca populations worldwide have evolved distinct feeding behaviors:

Resident orcas (e.g., Pacific Northwest):

• Feed primarily on salmon, especially Chinook salmon
• Use echolocation to locate fish
• Hunt in coordinated family groups
• Rarely eat marine mammals

Transient (Bigg’s) orcas (e.g., Pacific Coast):

• Specialize in marine mammals: seals, sea lions, porpoises, and whale calves
• Hunt in smaller groups using stealth tactics
• Travel widely to find prey
• Known to hunt great white sharks

Offshore orcas (e.g., open Pacific):

• Feed primarily on sharks and rays
• Teeth are often worn down from shark skin
• Less studied due to remote habitat

Prey Diversity

The full range of orca prey is remarkable:

Prey Category	Examples
Fish	Salmon, herring, tuna, cod, halibut
Marine mammals	Seals, sea lions, walruses, porpoises
Sharks	Great white sharks, hammerheads, mako
Whales	Gray whale calves, minke whales, humpback whale calves
Cephalopods	Squid, octopus
Other	Sea turtles, seabirds, rays

Hunting Techniques

Orcas have developed sophisticated cooperative hunting strategies:

• Carousel feeding: Orcas work together to herd fish into a tight ball near the surface, then stun them with tail slaps
• Wave washing: In Antarctica, orcas create synchronized waves to wash seals off ice floes
• Beaching: Some orca populations intentionally strand themselves on beaches to catch seals before sliding back into the water
• Shark flipping: Orcas flip sharks upside down to induce tonic immobility (a paralyzed state), then target the liver

How Much Do Orcas Eat?

An adult orca consumes approximately 300 to 500 pounds (136-227 kg) of food daily. This is relatively modest compared to baleen whales like the blue whale, which can eat up to 4 tons of krill per day. However, orcas consume higher-calorie prey items, making their diet more energy-dense per pound.

Do Orcas Eat Humans?

Despite their name “killer whales,” there are no confirmed cases of wild orcas killing humans. Humans do not appear to be recognized as prey by any orca population. The rare incidents of orcas injuring humans have occurred in captivity.

For more about orca classification, see are killer whales dolphins.