Wild About Animals: Orcas

Wild About Animals: Orcas — page 3
Chapter 1 Wolves of the Sea The ocean swells as an orca swims just below its surface Eleven tons 10,000 kilograms of muscle push through the water The orca's pod races behind her Twenty dorsal fins cut through the waves like warships The tall fins keep them steady She sends out a series of clicks The sound bounces back The other orcas click and whistle in excitement Their prey is near The female leads them forward A great battle is about to begin CLICKS AND WHISTLES Orcas use echolocation to find prey They send out clicks through the melons on their foreheads The clicks can reach prey 500 feet 150 meters away When it bounces back their jawbones pick up the echo and send it to their ears The echo tells the orcas the shape size speed and direction of the prey