Orcas Season (killer whale) - Punta Norte in Peninsula Valdes Patagonia

As Orcas, season in Punta Norte is beginning, we will write for you some info about those animals to let you know more before you come to visit.

Orcas are also known as Killer Whales, it´s not correct because they belong to the cetacean family (Orcinus Orca) and inside it, the category with teeth. Is the largest species of the dolphin family.
It´s not common watch them alone, they live in communities where normally there is only a male, some females and few babies, because females have usually one baby every ten years.

Orcas Season (killer whale)  Punta Norte in Peninsula Valdes PatagoniaThe size depends if it´s a male or a female. Males can weigh up to 8000 kg and range up to ten meters, females can weigh half than males and range around seven meters.
Babies leave their family when their get the age to mate.
When males are near fifteen years old, the dorsal fin appears, and it´s up to 2 meters tall.
They learn to communicate through high frequency sound emissions,which also helps them in the localization.

You can watch them hunting Sea Lions and elephants seals at Punta Norte, Caleta Valdes and others elephant seals and sea lions Colonies . They feed themselves from them but also sometimes they catch the elephant seals and sea lions calves to teach the youngest orcas how to hunt.This kind of feeding (by intentional strandings) is the one that distinguishes the Valdes Peninsula Orcas from the rest of the Orcas that live in other waters of the world, even in the rest of Patagonia.

Orcas Season (killer whale)  - Punta Norte in Peninsula ValdesWild Orcas are not considered a threat to humans and terrestrial animals. They have a strictly marine diet : sea lions, sea elephants, also pinguins and other kind of sea animals and fishes

If you want to come and stay at our Eco Hotel ask for promotions for this period at delnomade@ecohosteria.com.ar
Last year,at orca´s time we had the honor of lodging for more than 20 days a group of documentary makers of National Geographic while they were working at the special "School of hunting" that shows how the oldest orcas teach the youngest how to hunt their food.

Comments

  1. Great post, good news to hear that people are seeing the orcas and what an incredible place to visit!

    ReplyDelete

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