Tooth and Claw: Killer Whales
Discovery
BBC
4.3 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 7 July 2025
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Investigating the black-and-white apex predator of the sea – the killer whale! Able to predate even great white sharks, this marine mammal is the largest member of the dolphin family. From tropical seas, to the Arctic and Antarctic, killer whales (or orcas) are found across the world. Living in family groups and often led by a post-menopausal matriarch, killer whales have passed on their hunting methods, which vary depending on which prey they specialise in hunting, through the generations.
Presenter Adam Hart finds out about the killer whales incredible social behaviours (such as wearing salmon as hats) and hears how a dog is helping killer whale researchers access a gold mine of information about this predator. He also hears what challenges killer whale populations are facing and why killer whales may be attacking boats off the coast of the Iberian peninsula.
Contributors:
Dr. Leigh Hickmott, whale biologist and conservationist, who is an expert on Pack Ice killer whales, and whose research uses them as indicators to assess human disturbance of marine habitats.
Dr. Deborah Giles, who is an expert on Southern Resident killer whales, based with the SeaDoc Society, a program of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Presenter: Professor Adam Hart Producer: Jonathan Blackwell
(Photo: Killer Whales, Credit: Serge MELESAN via Getty Images)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Get closer to the action with live commentary from the world's greatest sporting events on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:06.1 | It is all over! |
| 0:08.4 | Bulls are edge, caught behind. |
| 0:10.6 | Including cricket Super League, women's Euros 2025, Wimbledon, Formula One and much more. |
| 0:17.6 | It's all right to the lights and foot to the floor. |
| 0:20.0 | Oh, what a's done it! |
| 0:21.4 | Drop shots! |
| 0:22.9 | Winner! |
| 0:23.6 | On five sports extra, |
| 0:25.0 | Sports Extra 2 and Sports Extra 3. |
| 0:27.6 | Listen, only on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:32.6 | You're listening to Discovery from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:35.9 | I'm Adam Hart and this is Tooth and Claw, |
| 0:38.6 | the series where I explore are complex and challenging relationships with Earth's greatest predators, |
| 0:44.2 | through the people who have spent their lives studying, protecting and at times narrowly escaping them. |
| 0:58.6 | Today's predator is the undisputed apex predator of the sea. |
| 1:03.3 | With its distinctive black and white coloration, this marine mammal is the largest member of the dolphin family. |
| 1:05.3 | Able to predate even great white sharks, as we heard in a previous series, these skilled |
| 1:09.7 | hunters are found in waters all over the |
| 1:11.5 | world. It's time to learn about the killer whale, also known as the orca. Let's dive in with Dr. Lee |
| 1:18.7 | Hickmott, whale biologist and conservationist, who's an expert on pack ice killer whales, and whose |
| 1:23.8 | research uses them as indicators to assess human disturbance of marine habitats. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 25 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.