False Killer Whale: Facts, Habitat, Diet, and Conservation

The false killer whale or killer whale is a whale that belongs to the oceanic dolphin family, which is the largest member of its species. False killer whales are characterized by a diverse diet, although individuals often specialize in certain types of prey. The false killer whale is found in oceans all over the world, and in particular we find that it mainly frequents tropical areas, but at a specific temperature. It is a tame and social animal, harmless to humans, and has the same physical and morphological characteristics of dolphins, with a difference in size and shape.

Let’s learn more about it from teketrek.

About False Killer Whale and Scientific Classification

Scientists have said many things about the classification of the false whale. We find that a British biologist classified the false killer whale in his book published in 1846 entitled History of British Fossil Mammals and Birds. This description goes back to a skull that was discovered in 1843 and was found in Stanford, England. This skull was found, which was comparable to the pilot whale, the white whale and the Arison dolphin.

We find that the scientist John Edward, an English scientist specializing in zoology who was born on February 12, 1800, classified the false whale and attributed it to the genus of dolphins.

We find that there are scientists who classify the false killer whale as a member of the oceanic dolphin family, and oceanic dolphins are a family of toothed cetaceans that consist mainly of dolphins that live in the oceans and open seas.

In 1846, it was first described as a type of porpoise, which was revised when the first bodies were observed in 1861 and was named the false killer whale based on the fact that its characteristics fall under the characteristics of the skull similar to the killer whale.

False killer whale size, shape, weight

The false killer whale is characterized by different physical characteristics as it has a different shape, size, and weight that you can distinguish through these characteristics, and here are the most important physical characteristics below:

• The shape of the false killer whale is light black, gray, and white.
• The false killer whale has a slender body with a rectangular head, and it has fins and the dorsal fin is sickle-shaped, and its nose is short and pointed. Its average body length is 4.9 meters, and the length of the whale is six meters. The false killer whale reaches physical maturity from the age of 10 to 14 years, and its maximum age is 57 years for males and 62 years for females.
• The False killer whale weight more than 1200 kilograms. Its teeth are conical in shape and there are 14 to 21 in the upper jaw, while there are 16 to 24 in the lower jaw. The average number of its offspring is only one at birth. It lives in salt water and the gestation period reaches 16 months. 

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False killer whale diet

The false killer whale feeds on a wide range of squid and fish, and usually targets large species of fish such as tuna, as well as smaller dolphins during the process of hunting tuna. We find that the false killer whale is a known cleaner for many parasites, which are flukes in the sinuses and cylindrical worms in the sinuses, and the lungs. If this is the food of the false killer whale, it also becomes a victim in front of the killer whale.

Habitat of the False Killer Whale

The false killer whale inhabits the open oceans and deep water areas, this is generally because it may sometimes be found in coastal areas that are near oceanic islands. The false killer whale is considered to have a widespread presence in tropical and subtropical ocean waters. It has been found in warm temperate waters, whose temperature does not exceed 50 degrees north and less than 50 degrees south.

False Killer Whale Relationship with Humans

The false killer whale is a domesticated species like other dolphins that are easily trained, because they are very social if found with other species of dolphins and sometimes help humans hunt while diving, boating, where we find that in Japan, the United States, and the Netherlands it was mainly caught and successfully raised in captivity and coexists with humans and interacts with them positively.

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Is the false killer whale endangered?

There are no accurate global estimates of the false killer whale around the world, so it was included on the Red List of Threatened Species, and this list was established in 1963 in order to protect and preserve the categories and species threatened with extinction. The false killer whale is considered within the Convention for the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic Sea and the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Convention for the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Adjacent Atlantic Area, and this species was included in the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Small Whales in West Africa for the Secondary Waters in West Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions about false killer

Why is the false whale a unique creature?

The false whale is a unique creature because it adapts especially easily to captivity and is kept in many aquariums around the world. It is a pet and social animal that tends to decline in groups due to its very social nature. It is like dolphins that are easy to train and enjoy playing with.

Are false killer whales aggressive?

This type of cetacean is not considered aggressive. It is a peaceful animal that helps humans in hunting.

Why is it called a false killer whale?

The reason for its name is that ancient sailors found repeated scenes of the killer whale devouring black whales and attacking them fiercely. Therefore, they called this type of whale the killer whale. This type also belongs to the oceanic dolphin family, which includes 40 species of whales.

Are false killer whales friendly?

False killer whales are considered a very friendly, social and friendly species that are used for playing and group fun, especially among families.

How many false killer whales are left in the world?

The number of this species of whales is unknown and not estimated, so it is listed as endangered under the red list.

Conclusion

The false killer whale is a type of non-aggressive and non-harmful pet to humans, but only competes with them for food. This species is similar to the dolphins we see in the fun show scenes because it is easily trained and learns quickly. The false killer whale adapts easily to captivity as it is a very social animal. It is not like the killer whale, but this species is easy to catch and is not aggressive with other species of dolphins because it is tame, and contributes to maintaining the ecological balance. We hope that we have provided you with all the information about the false killer whale.