False Killer Whales

False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) acquire their name from their similarity to orcas (Orcinus orca). “Pseudes” in Greek means false. Like orcas, false killer whales are dolphins, not whales. I think that it’s important to know that because you can correct people when they say that they’re whales.

Here is a pod of false killer whales swimming in Hawaii.

False killer whales are known to form strong bonds with each other, which isn’t very surprising, seeing as they can be found in pods with as many individuals as 100 or more. When they are swimming in super-pods of this size, small groups may branch off and rejoin the main mass. These mammals are found in all tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate oceans across the globe. Adults measure between 15-20 feet (4.572-6.096 meters).

False killer whales often eat food such as squids and mahi-mahi (aka dolphinfish). These dolphins are not hunted commercially, but often caught as bycatch. According to MarineBio,  It is thought that the small Hawaiian population, estimated at 123 false killer whales, may be genetically extinct, meaning that there are so few left that they are becoming genetically similar, which causes genetic defects which will eventually lead to their total extinction. However, they are sorted into data deficient on the IUCN Red List.

Well, thank you for reading about false killer whales, and please remember to recycle!

Here is a super-pod of false killers.

Sources: MarineBio National Geographic