![]() ![]() However, since the 1960s, "orca" has steadily grown in popularity as the common name to identify the species, and both names are now used. The name "killer whale" is widely used in common English. ![]() ![]() It is now considered an obsolete equivalent for "orca." The term "orc" (or its variant "ork") has been used to describe a large fish, whale or sea-monster. The name "orca" (plural "orcas") was originally given to these animals by the ancient Romans, possibly borrowed from the Greek word ὄρυξ which (among other things) referred to a species of whale. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive orcas attacking their handlers at marine theme parks. Aside from a boy who was charged (but not grabbed) while swimming in a bay in Alaska, there have been no confirmed attacks on humans in the wild. The name "killer whale" reflects the animal's habit of attacking whales, and does not mean that orcas are a threat to humans. Orcas are marine mammals with a fearsome reputation that goes as far back as Pliny the Elder's description of the species. This puts the orca at the pinnacle of the marine food chain. It is also a versatile predator, eating fish, sea turtles, seabirds, pinnipeds, elasmobranchs, sirenians and even other cetaceans. It is the second-most widely distributed mammal on Earth (after humans) and is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic regions to warm, tropical seas. They are sometimes referred to as blackfish, a group including pilot whales, pygmy and false killer whales, and melon-headed whales. The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) is the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family ( Delphinidae). ![]()
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