The orca is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid polar regions
to warm, tropical seas.
It is one of the most widely distributed cetacean species, however, cooler
temperate and polar regions are preferred. Although sometimes spotted in
deep water, coastal areas and pelagic environments are generally
preferred.
The orca is particularly highly concentrated in Antarctic waters right up
to the ice-pack. In the Arctic, the species is rarely seen in winter, as
it does not approach the ice-pack. It does visit these waters during
summer. They are regularly sighted in the northeast pacific basin (between
Canada and Alaska), off the coast of Iceland and off the coast of northern
Norway. In Argentina, orcas can be seen along the coast of Buenos Aires
and Patagonia.
There exist no estimate for the total worldwide population, estimates of
specific populations include:
-
70.000 - 80.000 in the Antarctic region
-
8.500 in the tropical Pacific Ocean
-
2.000 in Japan
-
1.500 in the northeast Pacific Ocean
-
500 in Norway
Adding very rough estimates for un-surveyed areas, the total population
could be around 100.000 individuals.
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