Communication in Killer Whales
It would be easy to think that those black and white whales (often called orcas) act in a manner similar to their appearance. That is, pretty much the same. They are actually distinct, and their groups ( clans or pods ) are different from one another. Credit: Holly Fearnbach / Alaska Fisheries Science Center / NOAA Fisheries Service (Usage does not imply endorsement of site contents) Let's rein in for a moment and clear up a couple of things. First, they are more closely related to dolphins than whales. Second, despite a silly movie from 1977, orcas are not known to have eaten humans . Third, don't let the cute and cuddly critters doing tricks at sea amusements fool you; they are killers because these sidewinders of the sea are devious. Orcas are also fierce, eating things larger than humans, and smaller, and whatever is convenient. A large part of their hunting prowess comes from their communication abilities, and that one group cannot understand another group's