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Asked by: Wilhelmina Tormolen
events and attractions zoos and aquariumsWhere does the name killer whale come from?
Moreover, what does the name killer whale mean?
Killer whales are also known as orcas, a name that comes from their scientific name: Orcinus orca. Long ago, sailors referred to these massive creatures as "whale killers." Eventually that nickname changed to killer whale. In Spanish, they're referred to as ballena asesina, which means "assassin whale."
Correspondingly, are killer whales really killers?
Killer whale attack. Killer whales (or orcas) are powerful predators capable of killing leopard seals and great white sharks. They have also been recorded preying on usually terrestrial species such as moose swimming between islands. In the wild, there have been no fatal attacks on humans and only one reported bite.
Even though they live in the ocean all of the time, dolphins are mammals, not fish. Like every mammal, dolphins are warm blooded. Unlike fish, who breathe through gills, dolphins breathe air using lungs. Dolphins must make frequent trips to the surface of the water to catch a breath.