Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing false killer whales. To look at a false killer whale beside their namesake, one might question how false killer whales got their common name. They don't look much like killer whales on the outside, but on the inside they have a skull similar to their killer whale cousin, so that's where the name came from. In fact, until the mid 1900s, false killer whales were believed to be extinct. They were only known from their skulls and other bone fragments. When they were scientifically named, the people naming them had never seen one alive. Today it's known that false killer whales live in tropical and temperate oceans throughout the world. They spend most of their time in waters deeper than 3,300 feet (1,000m). False killer whales themselves can dive over 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) down and hold their breath for nearly 20 minutes.

Though they have the common name whale, they're also considered dolphins. Of course, if you'll recall from our killer whale episode, all dolphins are also whales, so the name still works! False killer whales have distinct, elbow-like bends in their flippers which helps set them apart from other cetaceans. Males are larger than females. The boys range in size from 13 to 20 feet (4-6 meters) while the girls range from 10 to 16 feet (3-5m). They live in groups called pods of just a handful to over a hundred members. Sometimes they hunt in smaller pods and regroup once a meal has been located. These dolphins even share their food with their family members.

A false killer whale's diet consists of fish like tuna and mahi mahi as well as squid. They have strong teeth which they use to skin the fish they eat, a behavior rarely observed in cetaceans. They've also been documented with humpback whale remains in their stomachs, though this was a single occurrence. These dolphins move fast through the water to catch a meal and may even fully breach themselves in pursuit of their prey. They've also been known to chase seals. They can be so invested in the chase that an entire pod ends up stranded on a beach. This can cause the entire pod to die without intervention.

Because false killer whales live far out to sea, they're rarely studied throughout their entire range. Some populations do come closer to shore, such as those that live around the Hawaiian islands. These are where most research has been conducted. While it's unknown how their populations are doing around the world, the Hawaiian population is decreasing. They've been listed as endangered, though the population for the species as a whole is unknown. Threats to false killer whales include run-ins with boats, fishing gear, and angry anglers. They're also hunted in some areas for food. Natural predators to false killer whales may include large shakes and killer whales based on scars. They're also attacked by cookiecutter sharks.

False killer whales remain with their family group for decades. Females who are no longer able to bear young remain and help raise their grandchildren. False killer whales reach reproductive maturity around ten years of age. It takes fifteen months for a baby to gestate and it will remain near its mother's side for at least two years. Their groups are strongly bonded and they swim with other dolphins from time to time. In New Zealand, false killer whales are known to form pods with bottlenose dolphins. They can be told apart because bottlenose dolphins have more distinct beaks. False killer whales may also be confused with the larger pilot whale, but their dorsal fins set them apart! These cetaceans communicate with each other through clicks and whistles that sound like this: (sound). False killer whales can live to be 60 years old.

For more facts on false killer whales, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today. Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! Thank you to these viewers for today’s request! And thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!