| There's a reason orcas are better known as killer whales. They're fierce predators, and they don't always keep to the water in search of prey — in fact, they've even been known to hunt moose. This happens when a member of the largest deer species (yes, moose are deer) wades into the water, either in search of food or to elude land-based predators, and finds itself in the unfortunate position of being near an orca, which will eat pretty much anything. Such occurrences have been known to happen in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, with one recorded incident resulting in the deaths of two moose. Orcas are thought to have received their nickname centuries ago, perhaps from a mistranslation. The theory posits that Basque fisherman observed them killing other whales and referred to them as "whale killers," which became "killer whales" when translated to English. Their diet depends largely on where they live, but different ecotypes feed on everything from fish and seals to sharks and squid, with the occasional moose thrown in. | 
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