Kilo Killer Whale

I’ve always been strong, even for a killer whale. One of my favorite games is our version of shuffleboard, except we use icebergs. One time, I shoved a 5,000-pound iceberg way across the ocean! I was surprised to be invited to join the team to save King Neptune’s Diamond of the Seas, but it was the best adventure I could have ever imagined. And my practice with icebergs proved to be a real help.

Weren’t you afraid to leave your family?

I was a little scared. I worried more about my brother, Kiley, and my sister, Kelly, but I knew that my pod — that’s what we killer whales call our family groups — would look after them. This job was too important and I couldn’t say “no”.

Wasn’t this a big job for a young whale?

I’m 12 years old, so I’m not THAT young. My parents were a little older than me when I was born! And I’m already 17 feet long, so I’m big AND strong. My dad is 23 feet long so I’m catching up.

How come you don’t look like most whales?

Well, actually, a killer whale is a member of the dolphin family. It was fun to meet Denise Dolphin because we have that in common. And she told me about some killer whales she knows at Sea World. That sounds like a fun job!

You seem very gentle for someone known as a “killer”.

We’re also known as “orcas”. I like that name much better. And my heart weighs 100 pounds, so that should tell you something!

Killer whales don’t have any natural predators in the ocean. What is the biggest threat to you and your species?

That would be humans. Pollution is the scariest thing we orcas deal with, and that comes from humans. I wish they would try to understand that what seems like a little garbage to them can hurt a lot of sea life!

Kilo, what was the best part of your adventure as one of the Ocean Protectors?

For me, it was the chance to help King Neptune. He has spent all of his life looking after all of us in the oceans around the world. When he needed our help, I was so happy that he chose me. I also loved to have the chance to make new friends, outside my own species. Some of those creatures, like Polly, Scotty, and Murdock would never have come near me if it weren’t for this mission. We learned that we can work together and be friends, in spite of differences.