I find this sentiment to be kind of annoying since I feel like it goes too far in the other direction from when we all collectively used to write them off as pest animals who needed to be shot on sight. I don't think regarding them like puppies is particularly helpful for their image either.
Sharks are still apex predators with powerful bodies and sharp teeth. Even though we know they're not mindless or violent like we thought, that absolutely doesn't take away their status as an animal we should all remain cautious around. The same absolutely goes for orcas.
A misunderstanding of some information about orcas that bothers me is that there have been no fatalities in the wild. There have been at least 70 instances of orcas and humans interacting in a way that resulted in injury with one possible case of a human dying, although it wasn't confirmed.
While I do feel as if walking back their former reputation as animals to be feared is a net positive, regarding them as though they are utterly harmless and even assuming the name of their species is misrepresentative can also cause harm. For one, it can cause people to assume that they're completely safe around orcas and that they don't need to feel cautious. They may even feel as if they can touch the animal or attempt to form a bond with it. (You don't need me to tell you why that's bad.)
The reality is that while these animals do not seem interested in human contact of any kind (including hunting or harming humans), they are still appropriately named for their variety of hunting strategies and penchant to hunt just about anything in the sea with calculated viciousness. "Killer Whale" comes from "Whale Killer" because orcas do in fact drown and consume other cetaceans.
Orca coming from "Orcus", God of the Underworld, is also fitting. In a way, they kind of are gods of their own food chain, metaphorically speaking. They are strong, fast, organized, and clever.
It is true that they are not only violent, that orcas can also be deeply emotional and social with one another - but the reality is that they are wild animals that need to be treated with respect and decency.
Most of all, they need to be left alone. We are not from their world, we should not invade theirs.
...And on a more personal note I just feel like naming one of the most badass looking animals "Orca" or "KILLER whale" is such an awesome thing to have happened. It's like the opposite of a missed opportunity. A metal name for a truly metal animal!
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