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.

Abu Dhabi Media Office shared that this indicates the health and quality of the emirate’s waters and marine biodiversity.

In case you’re excited to share this with your friends, throw in some information and include the fact that orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family.

A male orca can measure nearly ten metres in length – that’s nearly half the length of a tennis court. They can weigh around 10,000kgs. The dorsal fin itself can reach up to two metres tall.

Orca

You’re probably wondering, ‘Wow. What do they eat?’. Well, despite their name, killer whales are not considered a danger to humans, although there have been a few exceptional instances of them attacking people while in captivity. Their diet includes fish, seals and sea lions, dolphins and porpoises, sharks and rays, large whales, octopods, squids, seabirds and more.

Don’t let their weight fool you. They are fast creatures and can swim up to speeds of 54 kilomiles per hour – so, if you intend on whale watching, you need to be attentive.

Orcas have been spotted on and off in the Arabian Gulf from time to time. In April 2017 a pair of orca whales were spotted near the Musandam Peninsula, just off the coast of the UAE. Before this, orca whales were spotted in March 2015 near Abu Dhabi, Sadar Channel, near Ras Gharab island.

However, these beautiful creatures aren’t the only ones spotted in our waters. Last year in September 2020, two whale sharks were spotted in an Abu Dhabi canal, too.

Images: Abu Dhabi Media Office