In what is probably the first time such an event has been witnessed and recorded, humpback whales appeared to try to intervene when a pod of killer whales attacked a baby gray whale. We can’t ask a dolphin to sit an IQ test or maths exam, or challenge a whale to build an engine or design a building. Large predators like the orca tend to go after prey animals that have a lot of rich blubber on their body, which means that most of the shark is unappealing as a meal. That means, the names killer whale and orca are two names originated in different places but used to refer to the same animal. Sperm whales like this one in New Zealand can consume up to a ton of food a day. Killer whales, or orcas, are the largest species of the dolphin family while the humpback whale is part of the whale family and is much larger. Baleen whales feed only in arctic waters, eating mostly krill, plankton, and other small marine animals. Certain parts of a shark, however, are appealing to killer whales. Humpback whales have the largest flippers of … Killer whales target and kill humpback whale calves for food. Whale; Orcas and whales seen in fight to the death. Killer whales, or orcas, are the largest species of the dolphin family while the humpback whale is part of the whale family and is much larger. Frigid, arctic waters support some of the largest whale species, such as the humpback and the blue whale. Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. Gray whales participate in the longest migration of any animal. A year for the gray whale begins in late December when hundreds of pregnant females, along with the rest of the herd, arrive in the warm calving lagoons of Baja, Mexico, after completing … Monterey, California - In what is probably the first time such an event has been witnessed and recorded, humpback whales appeared to try to intervene when a pod of killer whales attacked a baby gray whale. Monterey, California - In what is probably the first time such an event has been witnessed and recorded, humpback whales appeared to try to intervene when a pod of killer whales attacked a baby gray whale. ... scientists have recorded orcas attacking and killing humpback whales, specifically young calves. Gray whales participate in the longest migration of any animal. A year for the gray whale begins in late December when hundreds of pregnant females, along with the rest of the herd, arrive in the warm calving lagoons of Baja, Mexico, after completing … Extraordinary moment pod of killer whales kill and eat a humpback and its calf - just metres from a fishing boat. Orca vs Killer whale . Sperm whales are present in every ocean, and after humans and orca, are the most widely distributed mammal on earth. The adults in the humpback group defend their young to keep them safe. The orca whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, able to reach speeds in excess of 30 knots (about 34 mph, or 56 kph).