Kohana opens her mouth during a feeding in the Orca Ocean of Loro Parque. | Photo: Philipp J. Kroiß or zoos.media

Some fish-eating orcas have worn out teeth: Here’s why

Published on whalescientists.com the 26.08.2021. | By: Anaïs Remili

Worn out teeth are normal among orcas – but why is this? The expert provides insights into the current state of research and offers a lot of information as well as insights on the topic.

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Note: We also inform about the topic on YouTube.

So it’s worth taking a look to make sure you don’t miss any of the latest videos. The cover photo, by the way, shows Kohana from Loro Parque, who is living proof that not every row of teeth looks worn out. On the other hand, many orcas in nature have teeth worn away to the gums – mostly dead ones, who perished from starvation. Therefore, whether or not and how much the teeth are worn out has got nothing to do with the animals living under human care or in nature. Killer whales have very soft teeth in general, but naturally, the individual dental condition also plays a part – just like in other mammals or humans, for that matter. Unlike in the wild, having bad luck with its teeth would not be a fatal problem for an orca living under human care, for they are very well looked after.

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