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presence of orcas coincidentally happen when there are long

periods of no bites.

Killer whales use a mix of stealth, speed, and intelligence

in their hunts. In the Atlantic, they have been seen working
cooperatively to herd fish or chase dolphins. Some display

surface-churning behavior or use tail slaps to stun prey. How-

ever, due to the rarity of observations, much of their hunting
behavior along the East Coast remains undocumented.

Their opportunistic diet suggests they are capable of adapt-
ing to various food sources, depending on availability. This

trait could prove advantageous as warming ocean tempera-
tures and shifting prey distributions continue to reshape the

marine food web.

Known for their highly structured social lives, Pacific pods are

often matrilineal and stable over decades. On the East Coast,
however, the limited data available suggests a different story.

Many of the orcas observed in Atlantic waters are seen alone

or in small, temporary groups. Whether this reflects a differ-
ent social organization or simply the transient nature of the Known for their highly structured social lives,

animals passing through remains unclear. Pacific pods are often matrilineal and stable over

decades. On the East Coast, however, the limited
That said, all killer whales communicate using a complex sys- data available suggests a different story.

tem of vocalizations, including whistles, echolocation clicks,

and pulsed calls. These sounds help them navigate, locate
prey, and maintain contact with pod members. Ongoing ef-

forts to record orca vocalizations in the Atlantic may even-
tually lead to the identification of distinct acoustic dialects,

which could help define different ecotypes or family groups.

The reproductive habits of East Coast orcas are not well

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