This Is Why Orcas Are Called Killer Whales

When you think of top ocean predators, you probably think of Sharks. That’s wrong!

[asianmerlin]

Tbh the thumbnail looks like the shark told a bad joke and the two orcas are trying to be supportive friends by laughing

[lucystarlight]

"The livers had been removed with incredible precision"

**shows a shark missing half of its body**

[mattmarkus]

I find it incredibly fascinating (if not disturbing) that they take _only_ the liver and leave the rest of the carcass because sharks have toxins in their flesh. Not to mention the strategies they employ. Insanely smart.

[AceFlexFitness]

The fact that wild Orcas don't attack humans at all even out of curiosity is amazing considering they are apex predators and meat eaters

[onionrings]

“What would you call them?”

Oreo Dolphins

[itsmealex]

Imagine being a shark flipped over by orcas and one of them says "get the liver"

[kienzays]

"If you could give orcas another name, what you you call them?"

For some inner reason, Willy sounds like a good choice.

[sommmeguy]

"I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." Orcas are the Hannibal Lecters of the ocean.

[deo]

Imagine being jumped by a group of orcas and they are like “take that guys liver” and then just leave them to die

[DaveTheBarbarian]

"are they swimming in the ocean with guns and killing everyone? No."

Me: *scribbles notes frantically*

[MermaidMusings]

Orcas are creatures of great intelligence and power. They have similar life spans and social structures to humans. It's a shame some of them are stuck in small tanks in marine parks. Corky and Lolita/Tokitae have been in captivity since 1969 and 1970. Corky is a Northern Resident from British Columbia. She's a member of the A5 pod, A23 matriline. She has a sister named Ripple, brother Fife, niece Midsummer, great-nephews Fern and Ne'nakw, and great-niece Eliot. They are often seen around Vancouver Island. Corky lives at SeaWorld San Diego.

Lolita is from the Southern Resident orca population. She is the sole survivor of the infamous Puget Sound Penn Cove captures. Lolita's mother, L25 Ocean Sun, is over ninety years old. Lolita had an older sister named Tsunami, who died in 1982. Her pod is often seen in the calm waters near the San Juan Islands. Lolita lives in the smallest orca tank in the world at the Miami Seaquarium.

[SeattlePioneer]

In the 1980s, I used to go rowboat cruising using a twelve foot aluminum boat and cruising the San Juan Islands in the most northwesterly portion of Washington State, right near the Casnadian border.

I usually had Orcas swimming up near my boat during the day, investigating the rowing noise, I presume. They were always respectful and never presented a threat or hazard. 15-30 feet away or so, typically.

[MinstrelSentFromAnotherLand]

Great white sharks: “I’m the most feared predator in the seas”

Killer whale: “hold your liver”

[Kallah_DaughterOfYAHUAH]

“The livers were removed with incredible precision.”
That’s the most terrifying sentence. Lol

[kkmcknight]

It makes me so sad to think how long humans have stolen these beautiful, intelligent mammals from their pods, placed them in tiny chlorine pools, and kept them there for decades. Lolita at Miami Seaquarium for example, who is now dying after 50+ years of captivity… It just breaks my heart. I’ll never understand how people can support those places….
Seeing them live in the wild doing what they’re supposed to be has got to be so incredibly thrilling. It’s definitely one of my dreams to be able to see wild orcas someday.

[triggernasty]

I like how I came for Orcas and learned way more

[gdog]

The fact that orcas specifically eat the liver, because they know it carries more nutrients than any other part makes me realize just how smart these mammals are.

[kainadair]

"Are they swimming in the ocean with guns killing everyone?..No".
Me: oh, thank God.

[zxtv]

"Are they swimming in the ocean with guns and killing everyone" Truly outstanding narration and choice of words.

[jensoolaliseee]

I'd name Orcas "the cutest killers of all time"