Emperor Bilikiki guests in the Solomon Islands recently had a wonderful, close-up encounter with some beautiful false killer whales.
It was a special moment enjoyed by all on board.
But, while everyone knows what an orca (alternatively known as a killer whale) is and looks like, the false killer whale might not be so familiar to the wider world.
The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a large, social member of the dolphin family and is named for its skull’s resemblance to that of the killer whale (Orcinus orca).
Despite the name, it shares more similarities with dolphins than true killer whales. It is a streamlined, black or dark grey cetacean with a rounded head and no distinct beak, measuring up to 6 meters (20 feet) in length and weighing around 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds).
False killer whales are found in warm, temperate, and tropical oceans worldwide (hence their meeting with Emperor Bilikiki in the Solomons), often in deep offshore waters. They are highly social animals, typically living in pods of 10 to 20 individuals, though larger groups are not uncommon. These pods exhibit strong social bonds, with individuals cooperating in hunting and caring for young.
The species is known for its intelligence and playful behaviour, often engaging in bow-riding near boats. False killer whales are opportunistic feeders, preying on fish, squid, and occasionally hunting other marine mammals. They are also known to share prey among pod members, a unique behaviour among cetaceans.
Despite their adaptability false killer whales, like so many other animals, face threats from human activities. However, they are particularly vulnerable to noise pollution, as it disrupts their echolocation and communication.
The false killer whale is listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with some populations, like those around Hawaii where it is thought there could be as few as 200 individuals, considered endangered.
However, the IUCN also classifies the false killer whale as ‘Data Deficient’ which means there have not been enough surveys for a proper assessment of its extinction risk to take place.
As a lesser-known cetacean, false killer whales highlight the importance of understanding and preserving marine biodiversity in the face of growing environmental challenges.