Refers to the marine mammal Orcinus orca. The term シャチ is more common in modern Japanese; さかまた is an older or alternative name.
See also: シャチ
The orca is the apex predator of the sea.
I saw an orca show at the aquarium.
Katakana spelling is sometimes used, especially in biological contexts.
Rare kanji form; the first character means 'reverse' and the second 'fork', possibly referring to the dorsal fin shape.
Rare kanji form; the second character means 'halberd' or 'lance', likely referring to the tall dorsal fin.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 逆叉 (reverse fork) and 逆戟 (reverse halberd) likely describe the orca's tall, backward-curving dorsal fin.