Orca in captivity live very different lives from those in the wild, and this can affect their physical features <\/p>
Orcas<\/a>, otherwise known as killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and powerful predators. They’re easy to identify from their distinctive black-and-white colouring and prominent, pointed dorsal fin.<\/strong><\/p> In the wild, orcas can swim up to 65km a day and dive up to 150m several times a day. They cannot do this in artificial enclosures, which leads to boredom and stress.<\/p> In captivity orcas don’t live much past 30 years, whereas in the wild they live from 50 to 80 years; in captivity they have killed humans, in the wild there are no recorded human fatalities.<\/p> Though drooping dorsal fins are occasionally seen in wild orcas, it does seem more common among captive animals \u2013 especially the longer-finned males. It\u2019s not entirely clear why. The fins are supported by a tough protein called collagen, and one possibility is that, because captive animals spend more time at the surface, the protein is exposed to higher temperatures, which degrades its structure.<\/p> Dietary differences or reduced blood pressure as a result of lower activity may contribute, too. There is also evidence that, in a confined space, the animals must swim in tight circles, which exerts unnaturally high sideways forces on the fins.<\/p>
Why do captive orcas have drooping dorsal fins<\/h2>