Killer Whale

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killer whale, (Orcinus orca), also called orca, largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). The killer whale is easy to identify by its size and its striking coloration: jet black on top and pure white below with a white patch behind each eye, another extending up each flank, and a variable “saddle patch” just behind the dorsal fin. Despite the fact that this cetacean is a powerful carnivore, there is no record of its having killed humans in the wild. Dozens of killer whales have been kept in captivity and trained as performers, a practice that in the 21st century was increasingly viewed as unethical.