Red list animals: The orca

The animals in the photo below are orcas or 'killer whales'. In fact, an orca is not a whale, but a type of dolphin. Here they're swimming in a group near the shore. Maybe they're hunting for seals.

Haiwan di photo di bawah merupakan paus orca atau paus pembunuh. Paus orca bukan ikan paus, sebenarnya paus orca ialah sejenis ikan lumba-lumba. Dalam foto itu, mereka sedang berenang dalam kumpulan berhampiran pantai. Mereka mungkin sedang memburu anjing laut.

Orcas live in all of the world's oceans. They hunt and play in groups. They are aggressive and they usually eat fish, squid, seals and turtles. Females have one baby, called a calf, every two or three years.

Paus orca mendiami dalam semua lautan di dunia. Mereka memburu dan bermain dalam kumpulan. Paus orca bertindak agresif dan biasanya makan ikan, sotong, anjing laut dan penyu-penyu. Paus orca betina mempunyai satu bayi setiap dua atau tiga tahun.

Orcas are on the 'red list' as they are in danger of becoming extinct. Some orcas are endangered because there is pollution in the sea. They also die in fishing nets. It is important to protect these animals to maintain the ecological balance of the world.

Paus orca sedang mengalami kepupusan. Oleh sebab pencemaran di laut, beberapa paus orca mengalami kepupusan. Mereka juga mati di pukat-pukat. Ia adalah penting untuk melindungi haiwan-haiwan ini untuk mengekalkan keseimbangan ekologi di dunia.