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According to National Geographic, orcas are considered the largest species of the dolphin family. They weigh up to 6 tons (5,443 kilograms) and grow to 23 to 32 feet (7 to 9.7 meters). That is almost as long as a school bus. The largest orca ever recorded was 32 feet (9.8 m) long, according to Sea World.
Orca is Latin for a kind of whale. Because wild killer whales are not a threat to humans, and the term killer has a derogatory tone, many people now refer to these whales as orcas, rather than killer whales. At least in the U.S., and even among whale researchers, killer whale still seems to be used more commonly, although I've used both terms in this article.