Courtesy Cascadia Research. Photo taken under MMPA Scientific Research Permit No. 731 Marine Mammals False killer whale

• Main Authors: Robin Baird, Pseudorca Crassidens, National Marine, Fisheries Service, Strategic Stock
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: THREATS; Pacific; Killer Whale
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.222.4534; http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/Library/PRD/False%20Killer%20Whale/mm_falsekiller.pdf

SPECIES INFORMATION: False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) can be found at the broadest range of depths of all the cetaceans in Hawai#i. In Hawai#i, false killer whales feed primarily on mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna. They discard the internal organs, gills, and tail. To increase success of finding prey, these whales travel in a broad band that can be up to several kilometers (miles) wide. Food sharing has been documented, and they feed during the day and at night. False killer whales have a breeding season that lasts several months. Gestation periods range from 14 to 16 months and lactation occurs for one and a half to two years. False killer whales have low reproduction rates with calving intervals of approximately seven years. These whales are gregarious and form strong social bonds. They are usually found in groups of ten to twenty that belong to much larger groups of up to 40 individuals in Hawai#i and 100 individuals elsewhere. They also are found with other cetaceans, most notably the bottlenose dolphin. False killer whales in Hawai#i may be reproductively isolated from other populations in the Pacific; however, there are no island resident populations. DISTRIBUTION: They are found throughout the Hawaiian Islands in both shallow and deep water. In the Main Hawaiian Islands, a recent study found them off the island of Hawai#i, O#ahu, and the island group of Maui, Moloka#i, Lāna#i, and Kaho#olawe. ABUNDANCE: Barlow (2003) estimates population abundance at 268 in the entire Hawaiian Exclusive Economic Zone. False killer whales are rarely seen in Hawaiian waters. There is no clear abundance trend. LOCATION AND CONDITION OF KEY HABITAT: False killer whales inhabit both shallow and deep oceanic waters in Hawai#i.