Killer Whales / Orcas

Killer whales (Orcinus orca), is one of the most characteristic and well-known of all marine mammals. They are found in most oceans of the world, and the distinct colouration in black and white, the large size and the fascinating and complex social structures and behaviour have made killer whales famous.

The Norwegian populations of killer whales feed almost exclusively on fish, where herring (Clupea harengus) dominates the diet. To catch this elusive prey, Norwegian killer whales have adopted several highly specialised hunting strategies, including the famous carousel feeding where family pods of orcas herd schools of herring together.

Killer whales may be found in Norwegian waters all year round. The world-famous whale watching sites in the deep fjords of Nordland county, where the wintering grounds of herring was largely restricted in the past, is however, no longer any guarantee for seeing killer whales as the migration routes of the herring has changed a lot during the last decade/s.

Right now, large schools of herring and mackerel can be seen outside the coast of Vesterålen, and with them, the killer whales have arrived. Below are some pictures from the whale watching company "Arctic Whale Tours" situated in Stø, Vesterålen, Norway taken off the coast of Andøya yesterday evening. A truely spectacular meeting with these fantastic animals!

Killer whale (Orcinus orca)

Family group of killer whales in Vesterålen, Norway

Female together with a young killer whale

Killer whales

Large fish school outside Anda Nature Reserve