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You're not wrong. They are killer whales. It's just that they don't (99.9999999999%) kill humans in the wild. They kill sharks and seals all the time which qual
by Evolved 11y ago
You're not wrong. They are killer whales. It's just that they don't (99.9999999999%) kill humans in the wild. They kill sharks and seals all the time which qualifies them as a killer whale.
- gozur88 11y agoYeah. I'd always assumed "killer" in killer whale was a recognition they eat fish and mammals instead of krill.
- darklajid 11y agoErm.. There are a couple of issues I have with that. a) They're not whales, really b) If you see them as Dolphins, why aren't those all 'Killer whales'? c) A number of real whales kill big stuff. Sperm whales are the prime example. I mean, they fight, kill and eat Giant Squid. Can you be more badass, aren't they 'killers' on a different scale?
- gozur88 11y agoa) The wiki page says they (along with dolphins) are "toothed whales". Wouldn't that make them whales? b) Dolphins just eat fish, don't they? Anyway, I think any aquatic animal that will beach itself to eat a seal should get a good name. c) Yeah, I'd be upset if the people who named me did so because they mistakenly thought I had sperm in my head.
- darklajid 11y agoa) Continue reading the Wikipedia article until section 'Common Names' and note that they're closer to dolphins than to whales. b) Both the original article and Wikipedia mention that Orcas vary quite a lot and are even considered different subspecies or species, depending on the person you talk to. Wikipedia (section 'Types') lists 'Residents'. They eat fish.. No seals are involved. They're "killers" (if we're looking at the targets they hunt) like .. dolphins. Or Tuna, really (eating fish and squid as well). Killer Tuna?