Killer Whale
Killer WhaleKiller WhaleKiller WhaleKiller Whale

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
7 Verified records at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. The only extant species in the genus Orcinus, it is recognizable by its distinct pigmentation; being mostly black on top, white on the bottom and having recognizable white eye patches. A cosmopolitan species, it inhabits a wide range of marine environments, from Arctic to Antarctic regions to tropical seas, but is more commonly documented in temperate or cooler coastal waters. Scientists have proposed dividing the global population into races, subspecies, or possibly even species. Orcas are apex predators with a diverse diet. Individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey, including bony fish, sharks, rays, and marine mammals such as seals, dolphins, and whales. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Killer Whale sighting in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, based on 7 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Common Porpoise
LC

Common Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoena phocoena

10–20% · With luck
Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

Insufficient data
Fin Whale
VU

Fin Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera physalus

Insufficient data
Minke Whale
LC

Minke Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
5–10
Mar
<5
Apr
10–20
May
30–40
Jun
<5
Jul
10–20
Aug
<5
Sep
5–10
Oct
10–20
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
70–80%
2 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
60–70%
3 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
4 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
5 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
6 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
8 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
9 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
10 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
5–10%
11 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
12 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
13 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
14 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
15 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
16 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
17 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
18 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
19 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
20 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Killer Whale in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park?

About 15% of wildlife watchers report a Killer Whale sighting in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, based on 7 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Killer Whale in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Killer Whale in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in our monthly data.

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