Wild Orcas

A marvelously illustrated look at wild orcas

Of the world's iconic predatory species, orcas are among the most fearsome. Their awesome physical power combined with their cooperative hunting skills and ability to problem-solve make them uniquely efficient killers. Yet orcas also celebrate births, grieve losses, and maintain lifelong family bonds. This stunningly illustrated book draws on five decades of field research and cutting-edge science to provide an incomparable look at the biology, natural history, culture, and conservation of these awe-inspiring marine animals. It explores the behaviors and characteristics of the world's diverse orca populations-from Antarctica, Iceland, and South America to Norway, Spain, South Africa, the Pacific Northwest of Canada, and the United States -and reveals the startling discoveries that scientists have made in recent years. Wild Orcas takes you on an epic ocean excursion to encounter these magnificent creatures as you have never seen them before.

• Features a wealth of breathtaking color photos
• Covers everything from social structure and family dynamics to evolution, physiology, interactions with humans, and the fascinating ways orcas learn from each other
• Explores orcas' underwater lives, such as how they "see" with sound
• Discusses the innovative and state-of-the-art ways researchers study orcas
• Sheds light on orca culture, from vocal dialects and hunting strategies to behaviors such as greeting ceremonies, beach rubbing, and porpoise tossing