With all the recent news about the tragic accident at Sea World where the trainer was killed by the Orca, I did a little research about the animal. I was surprised to learn that the Orca is not a whale. The mammal is actually the largest member of the dolphin family and is know to kill whales. Originally called "whale killer," the words were reversed and it is now commonly known as a "killer whale."
from National Geographic:
Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches (ten centimeters) long. They are known to grab seals right off the ice. They also eat fish, squid, and seabirds.
Orca Size relative to a bus
and from The Marine Mammal Center:
People often wonder why orcas are also called killer whales. Mariners and whalers observed transient orcas eating other whales. Thus they were named "whale killer." The name has since been reversed to "killer whale." There are no confirmed records of orcas ever killing a person in the wild.
The size difference between an average person and a large orca is startling.
Posted by: Brian Patrick O'Malley | 03/09/2010 at 05:15 PM