Book Review: Wild Orcas
Wild Orcas: A Deep Dive into the World of Killer Whales by Hanne Strager & Catherine DeNardo
Orcas capture the imagination. They are instantly recognisable, And tales of their behaviour (good and bad) are the stuff of legend. They have a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. My dive shop was called Orca Divers. I have seen them up close in both Norway and California, although alas never from under the water. I can recall being enthralled listening to the late, great Doug Allan’s stories of filming them for BBC documentaries, and more recently, attending the premiere of Shark Town and hearing author Richard Peirce speak about the famous orca pair that hunted Great Whites in South Africa. So Wild Orcas was always going to be a book that I was interested to read.
Initially, I could not help but simply flick through Wild Orcas looking at all the stunning images. 125 of them in fact! If you love Killer Whales, it is worth buying the book just for these. But dive deeper and you will be rewarded with a wealth of knowledge about these incredible animals. I loved the mix of beautifully written descriptions of their biology and behaviour alongside the field work and research undertaken to gain this knowledge.
The chapter on hunting & feeding looks at the diverse techniques and skills orcas around the world have honed. Different populations adapting to prey and environmental conditions. From coordinated efforts to knock seals of ice, to beaching themselves to pluck sea ion pups off the beach to stunning herring. And of course, Port and Starboards famous escapades in South Africa, hunting Great Whites to eat just their livers. They surely have to be crowned THE top predators of the ocean.
i also loved all the information on their social behaviour and vocalisations. I marvelled at the range of technology used to learn about them. Although the low tech, but very cute, dog who detects orca poo from the bow of a research boat was a particular highlight. There is so much to digest in this book. With a sobering final chapter, Saving Killer Whales, that looks into our murky past of capturing them for marine park entertainment, and to an uncertain future where pollution and lack of food may see these intelligent and charismatic animals pushed to the brink.
If you want to learn more about the greatest predators in the ocean, definitely add this stunning book, Wild Orcas, to your collection.
What the publisher says:
Of the world’s iconic predatory species, orcas are among the most fearsome. Their awesome physical power combined with their cooperative hunting skills and ability to problem-solve make them uniquely efficient killers. Yet orcas also celebrate births, grieve losses, and maintain lifelong family bonds. This stunningly illustrated book draws on five decades of field research and cutting-edge science to provide an incomparable look at the biology, natural history, culture, and conservation of these awe-inspiring marine animals.
It explores the behaviors and characteristics of the world’s diverse orca populations—from Antarctica, Iceland, and South America to Norway, Spain, South Africa, the Pacific Northwest of Canada, and the United States —and reveals the startling discoveries that scientists have made in recent years. Wild Orcas takes you on an epic ocean excursion to encounter these magnificent creatures as you have never seen them before.
- Features a wealth of breathtaking color photos
- Covers everything from social structure and family dynamics to evolution, physiology, interactions with humans, and the fascinating ways orcas learn from each other
- Explores orcas’ underwater lives, such as how they “see” with sound
- Discusses the innovative and state-of-the-art ways researchers study orcas
- Sheds light on orca culture, from vocal dialects and hunting strategies to behaviors such as greeting ceremonies, beach rubbing, and porpoise tossing
About the Authors:
Hanne Strager is an award-winning science writer, whale biologist, and exhibition director whose books include The Killer Whale Journals: Our Love and Fear of Orcas.
Catherine DeNardo is a whale biologist, freelance editor, and award-winning writer whose work has appeared in leading publications such as Outside, Nautilus, and Nowhere.
Book Details:
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Price: £30.00
ISBN: 9780691269849
Published: June 16, 2026
