Orcas are highly intelligent, social mammals that have long been a part of marine park entertainment, performing shows for audiences. However, it's become increasingly clear that orcas do not...

More than 20 species names have been applied to the killer whale, but a consensus now recognizes only O. orca. Killer whales were formerly referred to as grampuses, but that term is now a synonym for Risso’s dolphin.

A wild orca pod can cover over 99 miles (160 kilometers) a day, foraging and socializing. They were give the name "killer whale" by ancient sailors who saw them preying on large whales. Orcas are still hunted in some countries, such as Greenland. Different kinds of orcas are called "ecotypes".

Orcas inhabit all oceans of the world but are most numerous in the Arctic, the Antarctic and areas in nutrient-rich cold water upwellings. They have been sighted along the shores of Washington, Oregon, California, Baja California, and along the eastern coast of the United States.

The Killer Whale, or Orca, is a creature of immense power, beauty, and complexity. From its ancient lineage to its sophisticated social structures and diverse hunting strategies, every aspect of its life speaks to a remarkable evolutionary success story.

Orcas are very easy to spot in the ocean—their iconic black and white coloring gives them away. Orcas are incredibly powerful hunters and eat fish, seals, sharks and more. People began calling orcas “killer whales” when ancient Spanish sailors observed pods of orcas attacking larger whale species.