Their Coloring Is Camouflage

The distinct black-and-white patterning of the orca - back body, white underside, white patches above and behind the eyes, and a saddle patch behind the dorsal fin - serves a unique purpose. Creatures looking down on the killer whale, from a perch like an ice floe, may not see it because the black back will blend in with dark ocean waters. The white belly can camouflage into light streaming from the sky toward the sea, which also makes the orca difficult to pick out from beneath. The effect allows killer whales to sneak up on unsuspecting prey.