The majestic mammal belongs to the oceanic dolphin family …
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Middle East’s largest environmental regulator, has spotted two rare whales off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
According to the Environment Agency, the two whales are Orcinus orcas. Orcinus orca or killer whale is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member.
The Abu Dhabi media office said this indicates the health and quality of the emirate’s waters and marine biodiversity.
Two rare whales (orcinus orca) spotted off Abu Dhabi by @EADTweets‘, indicating the health and quality of the emirate’s waters and marine biodiversity. pic.twitter.com/eA9eAwiDSF
– أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) 23 December 2021
In case you are happy to share this with your friends, add some information and include the fact that killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family.
A male killer whale can be almost ten meters in length – almost half the length of a tennis court. They can weigh around 10,000 kg. The dorsal fin itself can grow up to two meters high.
You’re probably wondering, “Wow. What are they eating?’. Well, despite their name, killer whales are not considered to be a danger to humans, although there have been a few exceptional cases where they have attacked people in captivity. Their diet includes fish, seals and sea lions, dolphins and porpoises, sharks and rays, large whales, octopods, squid, seabirds and more.
Don’t let their weight fool you. They are fast creatures and can swim at speeds of up to 54 kilometers per hour – so if you intend on whale watching you need to be careful.
Orcas have been sighted from time to time in the Persian Gulf. In April 2017, a pair of killer whales were spotted near the Musandam Peninsula, just off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Prior to that, killer whales were seen in March 2015 near Abu Dhabi, in the Sadar Channel, near Ras Gharab Island.
However, these beautiful creatures are not the only ones seen in our waters. Last year, in September 2020, two whale sharks were also sighted in an Abu Dhabi canal.
Images: Abu Dhabi Media Office
> Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that interest you
